Heroes of Kalos Abridged
by Zokolov
Summary: Fashionista and pyromaniac Serena is just like most young people of her age, her interests consisting of Pokémon, shopping and becoming the immortal ruler of Kalos. But to do that, she needs a loyal group of flunkies and must stay out of the International Police's reach. Based on a true story.
1. Kalos! Adventures in World Domination!

"_Bonjour, mes amis_, and _bienvenue_ to the world of Pokémon! I am Professor Augustine Sycamore, though you may know me as Professor Hunky McGorgeous – just ask your mom. Stop me if you have heard this story: you see, once upon a time, great misery fell upon the glorious land of Kalos. It took a band of righteous heroes to set us free from the grips of a megalomaniac tyrant."

"Well, THAT has nothing to do with _this_ story. Instead, it is the story of a person who struck fear in the hearts of people on two different continents, a tale of a feared pyromaniac who felt only blood lust and hatred for her enemies, all of whom fell or fled at the sight of her unholy visage."

"Hold on to your berets, folks, as we begin the first chapter of the story of... _Serena_!"

**Chapter One: _Kalos! Adventures In World Domination Begin!_**

"_Serena's journal:_

_Currently sitting in a car en route to Vaniville Town. Left Anville Town for good and thank the almighty Arceus for that. Another minute in the sticks where the prime fashion consists of overalls with banjo accessories and I would have had Rhyhorn mush someone's face in._

_Thanks to the information I have on Kalos, I have completed my checklist of things to do once I've settled in:_

_1) Buy new hat (if the store sells fedoras, make sure to bring the napalm)._

_2) Capture new Pokémon, preferably a Fairy-type and go to the next competitive tournament they have to feed on delicious nerd tears as their maxed-out EV dragons become useless._

_3) Become immortal._

_4) Take over the region and rule it with an iron hand until I'm bored with it. I'm thinking of giving it a millennium or so – keep the population happy by feeding them the rebelling ones. _

_5) Find a nice café to relax in, maybe taste that Kalos bread I've heard so much about."_

_**Later that day, in Vaniville Town, southern Kalos...**_

"...and I swear, that Pikachu I saw made the weirdest noise! Like, it didn't sound right at all, it's like it was that mutant breed from Kanto or something!"

"Yeah, whatever, Shaunee!"

Shauna, Tierno and Trevor walked up the stairs to a Calem's bedroom, greeted by the boy himself who hurriedly turned off his computer screen.

"Oh, hi guys!" he stammered. "Ready for the game night, then?"

"You bet!" Tierno said enthusiastically. "Hope you're ready to get your asses kicked in Brawl! Oh, and I brought Just Dance 2! I can't wait to show you my new moves... Cal, where's your Wii?"

"Sorry, guys," Calem said, "but I sold that old hunk of junk already. I got a shiny new Wii U, though, so this is gonna be the best game night ever!"

"You only have one GamePad, though," Shauna pointed out.

"Pfft, duh! Do you have any idea how much those cost? We need to keep up and move to the next-gen, dudes! It's cool, though, you can watch me play the new Colorless Shooter Game! I'm totally owning those 12-year-olds today!"

"Well, yeah, but we bought those old Wiimotes together," Tierno said.

"Stop living in the past, man!" Calem said. "Trevor, what do you think?"

"..."

"See, Trevs agrees with me! So come on!"

But instead, the friends settled on watching a movie. This one was about a purple-haired girl who could communicate telepathically with Pokémon going on a journey through the Kanto region, with the gang laughing at their odd clothes and limited color palettes.

"Hey, you guys catch the new Unovan girl who moved to that house next door?" Tierno asked the others, who were mostly just staring at the screen with glazed eyes.

"...Unovan..." mumbled Trevor, speaking up for the first time since arriving. "Did she bring her shotgun and grenade launcher here to spread a message of freedom or something?"

As usual, Trevor was ignored.

"Nah, saw her mom and her Rhyhorn earlier, though," Calem said. "Nice piece of tail!"

Everyone stared at Calem.

"The mom!"

"Don't be a jerk, Calem!" Tierno said. "Shauna, didn't you say you knew something about her?"

"Oh, yeah, her mom has won like several Rhyhorn racing championships!" Shauna said, excited as always. "Ooh, and I forgot to tell you this, Calem, but on my vacation in Unova last week, I met the girl! I even persuaded her to move here! She was really nice."

"We're in the middle of nowhere, Shaunee," Calem said. "How'd you manage the daughter of a Rhyhorn-racing champion who's probably swimming in money to move all her stuff to this dump?"

"...you shall not speak ill of the home of my ancestors, you worthless maggot..."

"What's that, Trev?"

"...nothing, just curious about this new girl, too."

"Well, my parents _insisted_ on taking the train from Nimbasa City to Anville Town," Shauna reminisced. "I kinda wandered off and got lost and ended up on some farm where this guy with a shotgun started chasing me... but the girl was able to fix the situation. I'll remember that day forever..."

"Well, tell us!" Tierno encouraged. "Don't leave out any details, not even specific parts of a conversation!"

"Yay!" Shauna cheered, with everyone focusing on her. "After that, she took me to the best restaurant in town..."

_**A week earlier, Anville Town, Unova**_

"This is really kind of you," Shauna told her savior. "And thanks for the food. I think I can keep _most _of that down. What's your name again?"

"Serena," the girl said with a smirk. "I'm sure you're used to better food in Kalos, so this is the least I can do. And don't worry about that farmer. We'll see how he chases tourists down in the future with no legs..."

"What?"

"Nothing," Serena said quickly. "Just remember, I own your soul now. Don't worry, I take good care of them. Kind of a hobby of mine."

Shauna stared at her for a while, then started giggling.

"Oh, you're _so_ funny!" she squeed. "And I love that skirt! And that hat! You dress like a supermodel from Lumiose!"

"Yeah, my mom had some clothes sent to me from there, actually," Serena bragged. "Can you believe there's literally no place to buy clothes in this donkey-end of the region? Well, except the weekly swap meet, but given the average hygiene level in Anville..."

"Oh, you should totally visit Kalos!" Shauna said suddenly. "If you don't like it here, maybe you should move there! There's always room in my hometown, Vaniville! Oh, it would be super awesome to have a girl as a friend! I mean, I love Cal, Tierno and Trevs and all, but they're all really weird. Well Tierno is okay, I guess, except all he talks about is dancing and it gets really old. Oh, and Trevs knows the local professor personally, and he's gonna give us Pokémon and we're gonna go on a quest and stuff and maybe find out about Unova's famous legendary Pokémon!"

Serena, who had zoned out for most of Shauna's babbling, tuned in again and started rubbing her chin in interest.

"...go on," she said. "What Pokémon is this?"

"Well, we just call it the 'legendary Pokémon'", Shauna said quickly. "I don't think even Sycamore knows what it's called. But they say it has even more power than the mythical Gods of Sinnoh they talked about in those boring mythology classes in school - it can even make a person immortal!"

Serena suddenly reached over the table, grabbed Shauna by her shirt and pulled her closer.

"Where is this Vaniville Town?" she whispered. "No, better yet, come with me to meet my mom, and point it out on the map for me. She's been looking for a good place to move to and, uh, your town sounds really nice!"

"Oh, um... sure!" Shauna said nervously as Serena let her go. "Wait... does this mean we can become besties?"

"It sure does. You're gonna be my number one flunky. Uh, that's Unova slang for 'BFF'."

"Yay!"

**~o~O~o~**

"...she told me her mom retired from Rhyhorn racing a few years back," Shauna completed her story. "She used to be really rich, but she's also spent most of her money and there was also this really messy divorce case. So we told her that Pokémon racing is still a thing here in Kalos and that she can make a comeback here!"

"Uh huh, okay," Calem said. "But tell me this... would you say this Serena is hot?"

"Huh?"

"Come on, Shaunee, be a bro in this!"

"...I'm a girl, Cal."

"Yeah, I know, be a girl bro in this! I mean, tomorrow's the day we get our Pokémon, right?"

"Yeah, me and Trevs are gonna wake up bright and early and go visit Sycamore!" Tierno announced and slapped Trevor on the shoulder, causing him to wince.

"Well, we won't be much of an adventurer group without a fifth member, right?" Calem asked. "And this girl is the same age as us, isn't she? I say we take her along!"

"I already asked her," Shauna said, "but great idea, anyway! I think I'll go visit her in the morning."

"Yeah, we _should_ go do that!" Calem said.

"Uh, I mostly meant myself..."

"We're _so_ going there! And we'll make Serena a member of our gang, right Trevs?"

"...well, I-"

"See, Trevs agrees with me!"

_**The next morning, Serena's house**_

Though it was well past ten, Serena was still fast asleep in her wide, comfy bed, exhausted after the moving. She dreamed innocent young adult dreams about the bright future ahead of her, including people groveling at her feet, worshiping her like the queen of all creation that she was.

"...bow down to me..." she muttered in her sleep.

But she was torn cruelly back to reality as her mother's Fletchling flew upstairs and woke her up with its hemorrhage-inducingly loud singing. Serena reacted by grouchily picking up her alarm clock and throwing it at the Fletchling, stunning it briefly.

"Oh no, reality," Serena groaned sleepily. "Damn it, Fletchling, I thought you already got your last warning! This is Kalos, the land of it being okay to sleep in!"

Nonetheless, Serena got up, brushed her hair and changed out of her pajamas, looking outside as she admired the great fall weather, the trees dropping leaves of many beautiful colors on Vaniville Town square, where Serena envisioned the giant statue of her would be.

"_Serena's journal:_

_Today's the day I begin my quest for glory. I'm honestly glad I'm in civilization at last. Not that this town feels significantly different from Anville. At least there's less gawking trainspotters and people actually dress like human beings, but I still can't wait to see Lumiose. I wonder if mom went to the store yet... I could use a croissant. _

_Anyway, my henchperson Shauna called me yesterday and said she wanted to introduce me to her friends. Just like that, my army will grow from one to four, and once I get my Pokémon, it'll grow immensely. Wonder what kinds live here, though, apart from that annoying Fletchling. Shauna told me about a Pokémon that was basically a key chain, but I'm pretty sure she was just being herself, 'cause that has to be bullsh-_"

"It's over ten in the morning, honey!" yelled a voice from downstairs. "And there's some people waiting for you outside!"

"Thanks, mom!" Serena yelled back.

_Oh yes... this region won't even know what hit it._

About an hour later, Serena and her mom finished their breakfast, deciding to let Shauna and her friend wait outside.

Serena's mom, Grace, burped loudly as she cleared the dishes. "Thanks for making breakfast, Melody-"

"Serena."

"Oh, right, Serena. Thanks for making breakfast, I haven't had time to go out and buy food yet. By the way, have you seen Fletchling? It was supposed to go to your room and make sure you don't laze in your bed all morning."

Serena burped too and rubbed her belly contentedly. "Something in my gut tells me we won't be seeing that annoying bird for a while. Anyway, once you get food, remember to pick up some croissants, and don't get any Unovan junk so we can 'feel at home'. Our cholesterol is high enough as it is."

"Of course, honey," Grace said absently as she turned on the TV and collapsed on the couch. "Now, go out and play with your friends now!"

"I'm 17, mom," Serena reminded.

"What's that?"

"Uh, nothing... bye!"

"Bye, Sally!"

Her hand on the doorknob, Serena turned to look at her mom, wondering how long it would be until she saw her again.

"Later, mom," she muttered. "When I'm the ruler of Kalos, you can have any city you want... except Lumiose."

As Serena stepped outside, ignoring the Rhyhorn sleeping on her front yard, she was instantly greeted by Shauna and a tall guy with dark hair wearing a blue jacket. Something about him seemed familiar – and irritating.

"Morning, Serena!" Shauna chirped in a voice that instantly reminded Serena of the Fletchling. "This is-"

"Mornin', there, neighbor!" Calem interrupted as he stepped in front of Shauna. "Welcome to Vaniville, and from what I've heard, welcome to Kalos. And wow, you're looking good today. My name is Calem, I live next door – hence, the 'neighbor'-"

"I got it," Serena deadpanned.

"-and this is Shauna, good _friend_ of mine," he continued. "_Friend_ of mine."

"She knows my name, Cal-"

"You know," Calem prattled on, "it's customary in Kalos to give a kiss as a greeting."

"Yeah, we do that in Unova, too, sort of," Serena said. "Only instead our lips, we use our elbows, knives, and occasionally grenade launchers. I'm tempted to and get mine from upstairs."

Calem wasn't sure how to respond, so Shauna piped in:

"Actually, we should head to Aquacorde Town. Tierno and Trevor are probably back by now and they have Pokémon for us."

So Serena, Shauna and Calem headed to the next town over, Serena wondering about the Pokémon she would pick, ignoring pretty much every question Shauna and Calem asked her, though both were too wrapped up in their own babbling to notice.

In Aquacorde Town, the trio met up with Tierno and Trevor in a café. Shauna was about to introduce them to Serena, but Calem got there first, telling about Tierno's skills on the dance floor and Trevor being a shy top student. Serena greeted them, evaluating them for slave potential – she would see how they'd handle their Pokémon. The position for her top flunky was already taken, though.

"Nice to meetcha!" Tierno said cheerfully. "Since we're all such good friends, we've given each other nicknames. You know, like Shaunee, Cal or Trevs. Being assigned a nickname is an ultimate act of friendship, I think."

"So what do they call you?" Serena asked.

"Just... just Tierno."

"Oh."

"Well, anyway," Tierno continued hastily. "_Serena, _Ser... how about 'Lady S'."

_Ahh, so this guy gets it_.

"What! No way?!" Shauna exclaimed dramatically, slamming her hands on the table for no adequate reason. "She's a Lil' S for sure!"

_Shauna, you have to do better than that if you want a place by my side as we crush this region under my stylish boot!_

"Maybe something else," Tierno muttered. "What's your second name?"

"Diane."

"All right!" Shauna said. "So I shall call you Lil' D!"

Calem snorted coffee out of his nose and had to hide his face behind his hat for several minutes, refusing to say why. Shauna clasped her hands over her mouth in realization.

"Serena's fine," Serena grumbled. "Unless you're willing to call me 'Queen of all Creation'."

"Arrogant Unovan," muttered Trevor, Serena hearing him talk for the first time. "Thinking she can just come here and step on my turf. This region shall be under the dominion of Trevor, and those mocked me shall pay!"

"Did you say something, Trevs?" Tierno wondered.

"...no, nothing," Trevor muttered shyly.

_Wait, what?_

"So, anyway," Shauna said obliviously. "Tierno, show us the Pokémon – I want to meet my new partner soon!"

"You got it!" Tierno said and placed a case containing three Poké Balls on the table. "Me and Trevor already got ours and you couldn't believe how surprised we were! I got a rad Corphish, and Trevor got this sweet Flabébe."

"With it I shall crush the Pokémon Champions and laugh as they put all their faith on the might of their Dragonite and Garchomp."

"Yeah, Fairy-types are the coolest!" Serena agreed.

"Well, go on and pick one!" Tierno said, hitting the buttons on all three Poké Balls.

Surprisingly enough, the three Pokémon were grass-, water- and fire-types, all tiny and none of them looking formidable enough to take on the region, much less the world.

The grass-type, Chespin, was cute enough – it was mostly brown, with a tough green shell on its back, covering its ears and the back of its head and extending all the way to its tail.

The water-type, Froakie, also got some 'aww' noises. It was mostly blue, shockingly enough, with big yellow eyes, a white 'cape' of sorts covering its back, making it look like it was covered in foam.

And the fire-type, Fennekin, was... was...

Serena gasped.

_As I gazed at the big-headed Pokémon with yellow fur materialize on the table and yawn, blinking its big red eyes at me innocently, a indescribable feeling hit my heart. A sensation of a thousand different types of adorable filled the very essence of my being as I stared at the tufts of dark orange hair sticking out of its proportionally huge ears, its cute tail waggling so fast it made me want to grip it and squeeze just to feel how incredibly soft and smooth its fur was. The cuteness left me at a loss for words, unable to express the Pokémon's beauty in just mere words._

"THAT THING IS SO F***ING KAWAII!" Serena exclaimed.

"It's what now?" Tierno wondered.

"Oh, I couldn't possibly choose first," Calem said slimily and gazed at Serena. "I want to be cordial today, so ladies first."

"Cool!" Shauna exclaimed. "I'll have, umm..."

"I meant Serena."

"...oh."

"Aren't you putting me at a disadvantage by letting me choose first?" Serena noted.

Calem just stared at Serena, a slight frown on his face.

"Your point being?"

"Ah, screw it!" Serena said, pushed Calem aside and grabbed the Fennekin and its Poké Ball in her arms – its fur _was_ extravagantly soft – and hugged it. "I'll have the Fennekin!"

"Then I'll have Chespin!" Shauna chirped and picked up the grass-type. "We really fit together - the two of us are just way-ay-ay too cute!"

"And I'll have Froakie!" Calem said, tapping the water-type with its Poké Ball, signaling his ownership. "Man, I can't wait to max our your EV's and go kick some kindergartener butt! I bet they'll cry!"

"Well, how about some nicknames then?" Serena suggested and held the Fennekin high in her arms, the Fennekin beaming as Serena scratched it behind its ears. "How about... Mozilla?"

The group gave out a collective groan, except for Shauna, who was too busy playing pattycake with her new Chespin.

"That was terrible," Trevor grumbled.

"Yeah, you know what, the heck with nicknames!" Serena said cheerfully. "Once we've taken over this land, you'll be _the_ Fennekin!"

"So, now what, guys?" Tierno asked, ignoring what Serena just said. "I guess the standard ritual of adulthood? We go out on a journey with no adult supervision, little money and a low-level Pokémon as the only thing between us and wild Pokémon, criminals and weird dudes in the bushes?"

"Sounds awesome!" Calem said, nodding in agreement. "Because no matter who we are or where we come from, we all have a dream, and thanks to the magic of the Pokémon world, we have a good chance to make those dreams come true!"

"Unless your dream is to live in a world _without_ Pokémon," Trevor muttered.

"What's _your_ dream, Trevs?" Calem asked suddenly.

Trevor blushed madly and stammered a bit when faced with a direct question all of a sudden and seemed to shrink several inches as he stared at the ground, replying as quietly as ever:

"To do what Professor Sycamore asked us to do in the first place, not that you cognitively inferior beings would know," Trevor mumbled. "To complete the vessel of all knowledge, the PokéDex, and become the _new _Professor Hunky McGorgeous! And then, the universe will be mine..."

"Sounds good, Trevs!" Calem said and gave him a thumbs up. "I'm sure if you train your Sunkern to the max, you'll achieve that goal in no time."

"Flabébe," Trevor corrected.

"_I_, on the other hand, want to become the world's greatest Pokémon master!" Calem announced and stood up in his chair to make sure everyone, even curious bystanders, would see and hear him. "The names of Champions live on even centuries after their reigns are over: Lance, Steven, Wallace, Cynthia, Alder, Iris, Diantha and that quiet kid from Pallet whose name I can't remember right now! I want my name etched right besides those behemoths and show my awesome power to this region! They won't even know what hit 'em!"

"Come down from there, dumbass, you're making a scene," Serena said flatly.

"Oh, right, sorry."

"I just want..." Tierno caught Serena's eyes. "Um, promise you won't laugh, Serena?"

"No."

"Well, I'll tell you anyway, I guess," Tierno said and took a deep breath. "I... I want to use Pokémon to create the world's greatest dance team!"

Serena didn't laugh or even smile, just looked at a wary Tierno contemplatively, stroking her chin in thought.

"Is there money and power to be made from that?" she asked.

"Huh? Uh, yeah, possibly..."

"And will dancing make your Pokémon stronger, more agile or just otherwise superior?"

"I think so, yeah."

"Then I approve," Serena said.

"I think it's great that you guys have dreams!" Shauna piped in, having exhausted her Chespin already. "And I want to help you achieve them! The way I see it, having this adventure _is_ my dream! I don't care what else happens, as long as we all have fun and make some good memories! What about you, Serena?"

"I told you back in Unova already, but as long as the whole gang of potentially great trainers and Trevor are here, I might as well fill you in..."

Serena cleared her throat.

"Somewhere in this region, is a Pokémon that grants the power of eternal life. With it, I can become the ruler of all creation, but I'll start from Kalos first. If you play your cards right, the four of you can become my loyal subordinates who can help me round up all who oppose me, presenting the inhabitants of Kalos with a simple choice: join me or perish in the flames of the new world we're building!"

But as Serena finished her rant, Calem was too busy fiddling with the PokéDex Trevor had given him, listing out loud about the best move combinations and abilities to use and how anyone who used anything else was clearly doing it wrong, Trevor himself sitting quietly, apparently zoning out. Tierno was practicing a new dance move with his Corphish while Shauna was half-listening and half-playing with her Chespin.

"That sounds great, Ser!" Shauna said. "I know we're about to become best friends."

"...I hate you all."

"Oh, by the way," Tierno said suddenly and took a sealed envelope from his bag, giving it to Serena. "The rest of us have permissions to go, but before we head towards Santalune City, take this to your mom. It's from Professor Sycamore himself."

"It smells like aftershave," Serena complained, but put the letter in her bag, anyway.

"Oh, like the man your man could smell like, it does," Calem observed. "The same brand I'm wearing now, by the way."

"No wonder I felt nauseous through this entire time," Serena remarked.

"Oh, you guys," Tierno laughed, making a heart-shape with his fingers and looking at Serena and Calem through them. "You're like my new OTP!"

"I swear I'll burn you all," Serena said. "But now, I have to go take this letter. Wait for me here."

As Serena pushed Calem away so hard that he and his chair fell on the ground, Serena returned Fennekin to its Poké Ball and started walking back towards Vaniville Town. But before Serena got away, Shauna chased after her, calling her name all the while.

"What is it?!" Serena snapped at her.

"Just one thing before you go!" Shauna said cheerfully. "You're going to be my opponent in my Pokémon battling _début_!"

"...you want to battle," Serena said flatly. "Your Chespin against my Fennekin. For realsies?"

"For real realsies!" Shauna exclaimed. "Please?"

"Well, hey, if you insist..."

Soon enough, the air became thick with the smell of burning leaves, the streets of Aquacorde Town suddenly filled with the rattling of flames, Shauna calling out for her Chespin and Serena's insane laughter.

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: A plane, en route to the Kalos region**_

A private plane owned by the Unova Pokémon League had departed from the airport at Mistralton City, piloted by gym leader Skyla herself. Most of the passengers were bodyguards and security agents with their Fighting-type Pokémon, the security headed by Looker, the hard-boiled, globe-trotting detective of the International Police in the middle of one of his most serious cases yet. He was sitting with his arms crossed and eyes closed, trying to come up with the best dramatic monologue for his memoirs:

_As we soar across the Unova sky, the smog in air as dark as the depths of my very soul, tainted by what I have seen, and what I have been forced to do. All in the name of justice. But what is justice? A mere word, an abstract concept that changes between times and places. It is right for us humans to trap creatures in capsules and pit them against each other while calling ourselves the upholders of truth, justice and the Unovan way? May I ever again see the beautiful eyes of my wife as my feet touch Kalosian soil? I'm thinking I will, once she sends them in the mail. _

_Don't worry, dear Croagunk. You shall be avenged, as I will find the culprit that terrorized our land and tore your companionship away from me, away from this world and its many sorrows. The culprit, yes, a young woman, possibly Kalosian, must remember to investigate further. I wonder if they sell good croissants in this plane_-

"Damn it!" Looker exclaimed.

"Got sidetracked again?"

"Oh, m-my apologies, ms. Champion! Did I wake you up?"

On the seat across Looker was Iris, the young purple-haired and maroon-eyed Champion of Unova, who was attempting to get adjusted to her humongous, pink, frilly ceremonial dress. As pretty as it was, Iris would never wear it in casual situations, but this was her first true responsibility as the new Champion: she had been asked to visit the Kalos region.

"Take it easy, Looker, it's all right," Iris giggled. "How could I sleep at a time like this, anyway! I can't believe we're going to Kalos! I've heard so much about it! You lived there, right?"

"I'm a man with no roots, ms. Champion," Looker answered in a rough voice. "In the end, a country, a region, it's nothing more than a land of mass to me, arbitrarily defined by the ones who pull the strings of this sad world-"

"You're doing it again," Iris said.

"Sorry, ma'am!" Looker said, his voice suddenly rising a few octaves. "Yeah, I still have family there – I think. But just remember, we're not doing this for fun! It's been years, but we've finally obtained a lead on the greatest criminal Unova has ever faced. The world will not know peace until she has been apprehended and removed from the public for good."

"Okay, well you take care of that!" Iris beamed. "The first thing _I'm_ doing is hitting a restaurant in Lumiose City and eating until I'm on the verge of throwing up!"

"Not that this is my business, but could you take this a bit more seriously, ma'am?"

"I am, trust me," Iris said, not smiling anymore. "But I spent months learning the language, customs, geography and biology of that region, and as fun as it was, I'm not letting that go to waste. Remember, though: this is just a ceremonial visit to ensure co-operation between Unova and Kalos in the future."

"Of course," Looker said hastily. "But... off the record?"

"Off the record," Iris promised.

"That girl," Looker said, squeezing the armrests of his seat and clenching his teeth, "that _Serena... _is going down."

* * *

**_A/N: Hello, dear hypothetical readers, and welcome to 'Heroes of Kalos Abridged'. As I'm sure this site will be filled with novelizations and different versions of the X and Y games, I figured I'd do a little spoof of the story and fanfiction in general. Some characters are as they are in the games, while others are given a more, well, creative spin. This story doesn't really have romance, but everyone are free to ship anyone they want. All interpretations are valid, and there might be some Ship Tease. Many characters are more than meets the eye, especially Serena, who is not JUST a sarcastic fire-obsessed fashionista about to take over the world - though she is that, too. Same goes for, Calem, even if it may seem like I made him an unbearable guy in here, it will all make sense later... or not._**

**_Overall, though we loosely follow the plot of X/Y here, especially at first, there will be plenty of surprises. The tone of the story is mostly comedic, but that doesn't mean we don't have some drama stored for you as well. Hold on to your hats, if you have them._**

**_This fic will be clean and adhere to the rating. Despite my jokes, I'm not in the interest of insulting or offending anyone like some 'comedies' are. I just hope you'll have fun reading this! **_And enjoy! Feedback is welcome, positive or negative_**_**

**_This has been a non-profit fan-based parody, please buy lots of Pokémon merchandise._**


	2. Let It Burn

"Welcome back to Sycamore's Story Corner. Young Serena was in quite a pickle, now wasn't she? But this dream of her will last forever, it will never die and she will rise to meet the challenge every time. The first step of her adventure was to visit my laboratory in Lumiose City and amass a powerful team of Pokémon on the way."

"People often ask me – 'Augustine, why do you send a bunch of children to do your dirty work as you sit in your fancy lab getting pedicures and making your assistants swoon regardless of gender or orientation?' - in those words exactly, mind you. Well, I saw what you have written about my colleague from Kanto, Samuel Oak, and if you think he's a man like that, then you're wrong! WRONG! Anyway, rest assured, I keep close attention to all of my students, so if they're trying to ride a bike indoors, I'll make sure they get what's coming to them, one way or another."

"Another question that often gets asked is, 'Sycamore, how can you _know_ when an unsuspecting teen tries to whip out their bicycle inside a building? Do you use satellite images and an implanted camera in the PokéDex to spy on those poor tykes when they're on their merry journies?'"

"..."

"Anyway, back to Serena's story. In order to strengthen the bond between herself and her Pokémon, Serena's would have to make a stop at the Santalune Gym..."

**Chapter Two: _Let It Burn_**

_**Location: Vaniville Town, Kalos**_

As Serena returned to her house, her mother was watching a strange show called 'KOUKAN TALK', always written in capital letters, no less, where an energetic woman spoke horribly mangled Japanese.

"Hi, honey!" Grace greeted Serena from the couch. "Proteam Omega is on in a moment, you want to watch?"

"I haven't watched it since I was twelve!" Serena protested. "Um, I mean, is that still on...?"

"But I remember you crying over the ending of season twenty-three..."

"Enough!" Serena exclaimed and shoved the letter to her mother. "Here, Professor Sycamore sent you a-"

Grace's face brightened over the professor's name being mentioned as she grabbed the letter from Serena and ripped it open.

"Ooh, Augustine!" Grace said giddily as she started reading. "I wonder if it's a love letter... my, what lovely handwriting..."

"You know the professor?" Serena wondered.

"Of course, dear," Grace replied. "He is your father."

A horrified expression froze on Serena's face. It was as if the world around her shifted in turmoil at this revelation, a sudden feeling of existential nausea overwhelming her being – had everything before been just a lie?

"Just kidding!" Grace giggled. "But I have heard a lot about him – I hope to get to meet him one day. If you're going to Lumiose, say hi to him for... oh, look, he's on TV now!"

Indeed, with _KOUKAN TALK _over, the commercials before Proteam Omega aired. Professor Augustine Sycamore, long, curly brown hair blowing in the wind, rode a Rapidash on a boat, having somehow misplaced his shirt, advertising some product:

"_Look at your man, now back to me, now back at your man, now back to me_..."

"Oh, he wants you to go on a journey!" Grace said, slapping her cheek dramatically as she finished reading. "We only just moved in and so many exciting things are happening. You've made new friends and got a brand new Pokémon!"

Fennekin had accompanied Serena on the trip back to Vaniville, Serena wanting to show it off to her mom. She also pondered on telling Fennekin to set Calem's house on fire to teach him a lesson, but that would have probably been unfair towards his mom. Upon being noticed, Fennekin jumped on the couch and excitedly nuzzled its cheek against Grace, who patted the cute fire-type on the head, her sudden squeal of joy quite resembling Serena's first meeting with the Fox Pokémon.

Of course, Serena would still be keeping it in the Poké Ball most of the time. Having it outside and walking by her side wherever she went – now that would be downright nutty.

"You don't have any problems with me going away? I might be gone for months," Serena said.

"Not at all, Selina, you go and have fun!" Grace said cheerfully.

Before Serena would correct her couch-ridden mom, something big and bulky smashed into the house, knocking down the front door in the process. It was Grace's Rhyhorn, who whined sadly at the prospect of Serena leaving. It rubbed itself against Serena affectionately – an unfortunate thing considering the Rhyhorn was a 250-pound creature with spiky skin made of solid rock.

"Aww, look, Rhyhorn wants to send you off, too!" Grace said. "Isn't that adorable!"

"M-mom!" Serena yelled as she had to keep the Rhyhorn away before her clothes were shredded. "What about the door?!"

"Oh, these things sort themselves out," Grace said calmly and went back to watching TV.

"Right," Serena grumbled. "But first things first... _Rhyhorn_!"

As soon as Serena used her commanding voice, the Rhyhorn collapsed on the ground, almost breaking through the floor in the process, putting its stubby legs in the air and exposing its neck submissively.

"That's better," Serena said firmly. "Good girl. So, I'll be leaving now, mom."

"Yup."

"For real, this time. Won't be back in a long time."

"Understood."

"Take care of yourself. And Rhyhorn. And Fle-"

Serena glared at what she saw – Grace's Fletchling was sitting on its perch in the corner of the living room like nothing had happened.

"But," Serena stuttered. "How did you... I mean, how could-"

The Fletchling just tilted its head and chirped. Serena narrowed her eyes at it.

"You win this round," she said threateningly.

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Santalune Forest, Kalos**_

"_Serena's journal,_

_and thus, the quest for immortality begins. I have decided that throwing wave after wave of my future minions at the opposition would be too much of a hassle, so despite protests from Calem, I have decided to enter __the Pokémon League Gym Badge challenge to make my Pokémon unbeatable. __With the posse at my side, we have entered Santalune Forest, __which, according to the gang, 'keeps the scum from Santalune out of Aquacorde and Vaniville'.__T__here, I proceeded__ to challenge some local trainers, making a record number of kids cry. But i__f they didn't want me and Fennekin to devastate their Pokémon, they shouldn't have become children in the first place, those filthy_-"

"Serena, your pen is smoking again," Shauna warned.

It was a beautiful summer day, gentle light filtering through the thickets of trees around the forest, casting dapples of sunlight all over the place. It was also abundant with wildlife – wherever you looked, a Pokémon was flying or crawling by. Especially bug-type Pokémon.

Serena _hated_ bug-type Pokémon.

"How much more," she grumbled after kicking a Weedle attempting to get too close back into the bushes, "are we going to stay in this Arceus-forsaken forest?!"

"Just a little more," Calem assured. "Trust me, I know where we're going. I could navigate this place in my sleep-"

"You've said that seven times during the past three hours," Trevor grumbled.

"-and besides, this place feels oddly familiar. Did we ever play here when we were kids?"

"No, we played at the countryside near Vaniville," Tierno pointed out. "Remember that time we ran through the Miltank ranches barefoot? Oh, the disgusting years of childhood..."

"Huh," Calem said. "I don't know, but something about this place makes me feel like I've been here before... in a different life, a different era, where the plane of reality only had _two_ dimensions..."

"Have you been licking your Froakie or something?" Serena asked.

"Well, anyway," Calem continued casually, ignoring the question, "now that we have time, I could show you guys how to catch Pokémon!"

"We _know_ how to catch Pokémon, dumbass, you literally can't _not_ succeed in here," Serena hissed. "You can throw a Poké Ball in a random patch of grass and you'll have your very own creature to do your bidding. Hell, _Shauna_ already caught two!"

"Wow, guys, is this my Pokémon?" Shauna wondered as she held the Poké Ball containing her new Bunnelby. "It's not as cute as I expected. It's so tiny..."

"Um, it's inside the ball, Shauna," Tierno pointed out.

"Aww, Ser, you just jelly 'cause you don't have a sweet flying-type Pokémon like this," Calem said smugly and opened one of his Poké Balls, letting out his Fletchling.

The very sight of the little reddish-orange bird Pokémon made Serena cringe. Before she could order Fennekin to snack on Calem's Fletchling, however, she heard rustling in the bushes nearby. Serena jerked her head in its direction so fast that one could practically hear her neck making a crunching sound.

"Enemies!" she yelled. "They found us already!"

Reacting in a split-second, Serena grabbed a lighter and a bottle of hairspray from her bag, using them as an improvised flamethrower.

But the Pokémon turned out to be another Fletchling. Serena felt her hands shaking, her head throbbing, her mind clouded with the memories of this morning.

"You again," Serena whispered to the Fletchling, who just stared at her innocently. "You think you're pretty clever, don't you?"

"Um, Serena, it's a Fletchling," Tierno said. "We're probably surrounded by dozens of similar ones-"

"Stay out of this!" Serena snapped. "You woke me up," she said threateningly, pointing at the Fletchling. "_Nobody_ interrupts my beauty sleep. _No one_ will interfere with the sanctity of sleeping in. I _will_ make you pay for your crimes against humanity, little Fletchling."

"Oh, sweet, a female one," Calem said as he spotted the Fletchling, ignorant of Serena's ranting. "Time to start breeding me a bird army – HEY!"

Serena grabbed the Poké Ball Calem was about throw without even looking, tossing at the Fletchling with all her might. The ball dazed Fletchling when it made contact with the poor bird's head, converting the Fletchling into energy and sucking it in. The Poké Ball dropped on the ground and shook once.

Then twice.

Then a third time.

Then it stopped.

Then it shook a couple more times for good measure.

"Oh, come on!" Serena yelled.

And just like that, the shaking stopped. Serena smiled triumphantly and picked up her new Fletchling's Poké Ball.

"Serena!" Shauna exclaimed. "I don't think you're supposed to hit them like that – weren't we supposed to weaken them first through Pokémon battle."

"Nobody has time for that!" Serena argued.

"Hey, since you used _my_ Poké Ball to catch that thing, isn't it technically mine?" Calem suggested.

Serena's blank stare was all the answer Calem would get from her.

"Fool," Trevor said suddenly, "Poké Balls don't identify ownership until the Pokémon has been tagged, meaning the owner is whoever touched the Poké Ball prior to that, in this case-"

"Trevs, I don't need any of that nerd stuff now," Calem snapped.

"...you have made a powerful enemy today, Calem."

"Anyway," Calem said in blissful ignorance. "I guess I can let that slide for now, Ser. You can't get any badges with _just_ that adorable little fox of yours."

"Was that a challenge?"

"Um, no, I was just... by the way, why were you so jumpy before?" Calem countered. "You got something to hide? Because you can lay _all_ your darkest secrets on me – Calem is always here."

"That's great, Cal!" Tierno said. "Okay, I gotta get this off my chest – sometimes, I have dreams about your mom-"

"Not you!"

"You have to be prepared," Serena said. "The enemy can strike from any direction – it could be someone you've never met, or your closest friend. My advice to you is this – never. Trust. Anyone. Got that, Shauna?"

Shauna was happily playing with her Chespin, rubbing its stomach and feeding it strange little cake-like confections that she apparently had a limitless supply of in her bag.

"She'll learn," Serena said simply. "Take you for example, Calem – I should have never trusted you to get us out of this stupid forest!"

"Hey, I take offense to that!"

"The forest doesn't have feelings, silly," Tierno said.

"That wasn't what I – ugh, forget it. You guys are cramping my style. I'm using my unparalleled sense of directions to leave this stupid forest. I'll be sipping cider in Santalune before sundown! Anyone who accepts _me_ as their leader can feel free to follow me!"

No one followed Calem as he stomped in a random direction, and he himself had to back off as something emerged from the bushes. Not Pokémon this time, but four Pokémon trainers, Serena recognizing three of them as ones whom she had already beaten senseless in a Pokémon battle. There were two lasses and two youngsters, the lass at the lead smirking at the group with hands on her hips.

"That's 'em, Lise!" said one of the youngsters to the lass, being at least a head shorter than her. "They's the ones who messed up our Pokémon, see!"

"Oh crud, not them," Tierno grumbled at the sight of the four young trainers.

"You know who these people are and why they have decided to march into their dooms by standing in my way?" Serena asked.

"They're old friends of ours from school!" Shauna said cheerfully and waved at the leading lass. "Hi, Lise!"

"They're not our friends, we were enemies!" Tierno argued. "We were the yokels from Vaniville, they were the posh kids from Aquacorde and Santalune," Tierno explained to Serena. "Things got pretty heated a couple of times."

"Yeah, I'm sure," Serena said, rolling her eyes. "What, someone got their hair pulled? Their backpack thrown in a puddle?"

"No, they broke Trevor's nose," Tierno said. "And then Trevor sent two of them to the hospital."

Serena whistled appreciatively.

"That's the kind of thinking I need in my team!" Serena said to Trevor.

"Your praise is just white noise in my ears, arrogant Unovan," Trevor muttered.

"Quiet!" yelled Lise, the lass who looked to be the strongest of the group.

Tierno gulped, Calem dashed into safety and hid behind Serena and even Shauna's ever-present smile faltered a bit.

"You've pushed my slaves around long enough," Lise said in annoyingly smug voice. "I thought you hicks would have known better than to trespass into _our_ territory."

"That's her, Lise!" the same youngster who attempted to sound tough but sounded like a squeaky door yelled frantically, almost jumping up and down as she pointed at Serena. "The girl with the carmine hat!"

"I'd say it's more of a scarlet color," Serena pondered. "Just like the color of your blood – wanna see?"

Lise narrowed her eyes, a sadistic grin appearing on her face. "Aren't you a tough one."

"And _you're_ in my way," Serena said nonchalantly. "Oh, wait, and _you_ guys are the newbies I trashed earlier! Sorry it took me a while to recognize you – to be honest, you kids with your stupid Bidoof and Pidgey kinda blur together."

"She's doin' it again!" the whiny youngster complained in what could only be described a strange. "Hey, yous better stop right now – I still have another Pokémon you didn't knock out yet!"

Serena tensed up, ready to send out her Pokémon to counter whatever beast the youngster was about to send. A secret weapon of some sort, maybe? A fully evolved Pokémon? A bizarre hybrid of two Pokémon outfitted with a cannon on its back that shoots heat-seeking laser beams?

"Go, Scatterbug!" the youngster yelled.

"What," was Serena's response.

Scatterbug was a black bug-type Pokémon, barely a foot in height, one little tooth poking out of its mouth. Serena stared at it blankly.

"Are you for real now?" Serena asked.

"Hey, don't diss my Scatterbug!" the youngster whined. "It's without a doubt in the top percentage of Scatterbug!"

"Hah, that's it?!" shouted Calem, who finally came out from behind Serena after spotting his opponent. "Don't worry, friends, _I'll_ deal with him lickety-split."

Calem brought out his Froakie, who stretched its limbs and enthusiastically prepared for a battle.

"Scatterbug, Stun Spore!" the youngster ordered.

Before Froakie could attack, Scatterbug released a cloud of black powder from its mouth, the cloud floating directly at Froakie. As soon as the water-type inhaled some of the powder, its whole body seized up, its limbs going stiff as it collapsed on the ground, unable to move.

"Hey!" Calem yelled at the youngster. "That ain't fair! Froakie, haul yourself up!" he ordered the paralyzed Pokémon. "Move it or you won't be a part of my awesome breeding program!"

"Why are you so useless?" Serena grumbled and pushed Calem aside. "Tend to your Pokémon or something, I'll handle Scuttlebutt."

"Scatterbug!" the youngster complained. "Why aren't you taking this seriously?!"

"Why? Let me tell you the reasons... before this, I lived in Anville Town. My mom was a local Rhyhorn racing champion on the boonies of west Unova. She traveled all over the world, Kalos included, leaving me to fend for myself for days at a time – let's just say she fell off the Rhyhorn one too many times. One day, I was going shopping to Nimbasa City in a mostly empty train, when a bunch of hijackers attacked the train. Since the shops I wanted to go closed at seven, I had to do something, but with no Pokémon, I armed myself with a can of hair spray..."

Serena took out the can for dramatic effect.

"...and a cigarette lighter."

Serena demonstrated the lighter.

"On that day, I learned what is _really_ flammable, and discovered the amazing power of fire. Sweet, cleansing fire. As I picked the robbers off one by one, they got a little desperate, making it easier for me to try different tactics. Be it throwing one under the train..."

Serena picked up a bunch of leaves and twigs from the ground and crushed them in her fist, making a nasty crunching sound.

"...or making clever use of the deep-fryer at the train's dining car. They all had high-level Pokémon like Machoke or Bisharp with them, but all trembled at the sight of a teenaged girl with an improvised flamethrower and a lead pipe. So what chances do you think you have?"

"Did... did that actually happen?" asked lass Lise, having listened to the story with her eyes and mouth wide open.

"Ehh, who knows," Serena shrugged. "I just started telling it to distract you from my Fletchling's attack. NOW!"

Serena's Fletchling swooped at the amateur trainers, who all scattered away as if something terrifying was approaching. Fletchling picked up the youngster's Scatterbug, flew back into the air, and with an evil glint in its eye, dropped the Scatterbug when it was at fifteen feet, knocking the Pokémon out upon landing.

Angered by this, Lise sent out a Pokémon of her own... a Pikachu. The weird noise the Pikachu made upon being let out made Serena shudder.

"What kind of mutant breed is that?!" she wondered.

In the meantime, Shauna had supplied Calem with a bottle of Paralyze Heal she had found on the ground. With one spray from the bottle, Froakie got back on its feet and back in the action.

"All right, Froakie!" Calem ordered. "Quick Attack!"

Froakie moved so quickly that it looked like it vanished from the spot, emerging again near the Pikachu, ready to tackle it – only to be blocked by the Pikachu's tail smacking it in the stomach. Dazed, Froakie was blasted by Pikachu's Thunder Shock that knocked the poor water-type out with one shot.

"FROAKIE!"

"Why are you so _terrible_ at this?!" Serena snapped.

"It wasn't my fault! That Pikachu is vastly overpowered! That blow could stun a friggin' Golem! Hax, I tell you, hax!"

"Listen to yourself," Serena muttered and shook her head. "Looks like it's my turn."

Serena tossed Fennekin's Poké Ball into the air, allowing the little Fox Pokémon to aid its new Fletchling friend. Despite its many battles so far, Fennekin was still cheerful and full of energy, ready to do whatever Serena commanded.

The other youngster and other lass responded as well, sending out two Poké Balls each... only for their Pokémon to turn out to be Pidgey, Caterpie, Weedle and Zigzagoon.

Serena sighed.

"You know, when things are on my way, I get rid of them," she told Lise. "Usually with fire. Take this forest, for instance – at the moment, it's standing between me and civilization. Incidentally, so are you people."

Serena snapped her fingers, Fletchling and Fennekin assuming their positions on Serena's left and right side, respectively. Serena herself whipped out her hairspray can and lighter.

"You have about three seconds to make space," she said.

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Santalune City, an hour later**_

Serena, Shauna, Calem, Tierno and Trevor exited the Santalune Pokémon Center, all but Serena covered in soot and looking like they had just witnessed something terrifying – though Shauna had recovered quickly. The group had gotten out of Santalune Forest, the inferno Serena had created scaring off the school kids training their puny Pokémon on Ouvert Way, the route between the forest and Santalune City.

Santalune City was a medium-sized, quiet town with a friendly atmosphere. With cobblestone streets and little cafés and restaurants all over the place, it was no wonder the place was an important hub for trainers on their way to either Lumiose City to the north or the Pokémon League to the northeast.

"All right, my loyal minions!" Serena told the other four with a huge smile on her face. "As a reward for sticking with me, I'm taking you somewhere nice!"

"Ice cream?" Shauna asked hopefully.

"The Santalune City Boutique!"

"Even better!" Shauna cheered. "Yay!"

"Indeed it is, Shauna," Serena agreed. "I only brought two extra outfits with me and if I'm going to achieve immortality, I can't do it without properly accessorizing first, right?"

"Flawless logic," Calem agreed. "I guess I could use a new hat, myself. Something to celebrate my upcoming victory against this town's gym leader. Lead on, fair Serena!"

"Shut up."

"'Kay."

As the group started making their way towards the Santalune Boutique, which was right across the street from the Pokémon Center. Shauna was enthusiastically listing off things she wanted to buy and pondering out loud if they sold accessories for Pokémon. Trevor was grumbling about vanity and how it would be the group's downfall, no one listening to a word he was saying. But Tierno, having gotten the soot off his face, looked contemplative.

"Hey, Calem," he said quietly, Shauna having distracted Serena with talk about headwear.

"'Sup?" Calem asked.

"You notice anything, um, _odd _about Serena?"

"Well, for such a know-it-all about fashion, she should know that those shoes _seriously_ need to go if she wants them to mesh with-"

"No, I mean... well, didn't the fact that she just burned down a chunk of the forest while laughing like a maniac and singing 'Disco Inferno' kind of tip you off? We sent some of those posh kids home with third-degree burns!"

"Yeah, that was funny," Calem said, reminiscing it fondly. "I mean, once you got through the scariness, you gotta admit, they kind of had it coming. All in good fun."

"Well, it was pretty satisfying..." Tierno mumbled before catching himself. "I mean, no, no! It was terrible! Also, she keeps calling us stuff like 'minions'."

"It's Unova slang for 'friends'. You know, buddies, pals, comrades, mates, nakama?"

"I dunno..." Tierno said quietly and turned to look down at Trevor. "Trevs, what do you think?"

Trevor glanced at his friend warily. When no one was suddenly speaking out to interrupt him, his face lit up in a smile and he opened his mouth.

"Uh-"

"Well, let's get in!" Serena announced, the group having arrived at the door of the boutique. "

Inside the store, a friendly woman wearing a beret happily told the group to try on as much clothes as they wanted. She had not prepared for this day, however, as Serena and Shauna instantly reacted with insane glee and went on to try every possible hat they could find. Tierno was also looking for suitable dancer garb to put on his Corphish while Trevor stood in the corner and complained quietly.

As Serena rummaged through what was on display, trying on the twenty-third felt hat of the day, swearing they all looked like different colored variations of each other, she was approached by a woman with brown hair and green eyes. She was carrying a camera with her and seemed to be awfully interested in Serena, getting absurdly close to her, stroking her chin as she stared at Serena like she was wondering if she knew her from somewhere.

"You..." the woman muttered. "You're you, aren't you?"

"And they say the art of conversation has been lost," Serena sighed.

"Oh, sorry!" the woman said cheerily and slapped her forehead theatrically. "You just had an intriguing look to you, like I saw you from somewhere... maybe a poster."

Serena frowned. "Where have you seen a poster of me?" she asked immediately.

"Oh, it was probably nothing," the woman said cheerfully and waved a greeting. "Hi, I'm Alexa, I work for the Lumiose Press! I couldn't help but notice your group entering the shop – are you the ones who received Pokémon and PokéDexes from Professor Sycamore?"

"Oh, yes, that's us!" Serena said immediately. "Just a bunch of teens on their Pokémon journeys, nothing nefarious, feel free to write about it in your paper!"

Serena grabbed Shauna, who was trying on a cycling cap, and wrapped her arm around her in a manner she assumed friends did to each other.

"See? We're friends!" Serena told Alexa. "Nothing to see here!"

"Yay for friendship!" Shauna cheered without wondering why Serena was acting like this.

"Well, if you're Pokémon trainers, you'll probably want to check out the local gym," Alexa advised. "I can show you the way if you want. The gym leader, Viola, is actually my sister."

"Hmm, intriguing," Serena said and let go of Shauna. "Then you must know something about her strategy. Still, I have to be convinced that getting a gym badge is worth my time, when I'm supposed to be looking for the key to imm... _ensely_ good fashion apparel, yeah!"

"What an odd thing to say," Shauna said.

Before Alexa could respond, she waved a greeting at Calem, who came over to Serena and Shauna, magnetically drawn to them upon hearing the word 'badge'.

"You know the local gym leader?!" Calem asked Alexa. "Tell us everything about – hey, I know you! You're Alexa! I love your stuff! That article about Pokémon mating rituals changed my life!"

"I please to aim," Alexa said. "Wait..."

"Oh, and Serena," Calem said and put the hat he was carrying on. "Doesn't this look good?"

Serena turned to lazily look at the fedora Calem was demonstrating. Immediately upon seeing the abomination of an apparel, metaphorical flames were set alight in her eyes. It sat there, atop Calem's head and smug face, as if mocking her with its very existence. With it on, Calem became more beast than a man, and Serena could almost feel the common sense being sucked out of Calem's brain every second he wore the thing.

_I didn't even remember to bring my napalm._

"Take that thing off," Serena growled.

"Why?" Calem wondered. "The clerk said it makes me look sharp."

"Then I'll burn her along with it – and you if I have to," Serena said bluntly. "Take. It. Off."

"Well, if you insist," Calem said in a slightly squeaky voice and took the hat off, the memory of Santalune Forest not about to leave his head anytime soon. "I mean, if you prefer me like this, I'll always accommodate."

"Looks like it's too late – it already rotted your brain," Serena said.

"Eep," Calem squeaked and hastily threw the fedora away.

"Anyway," Serena continued nonchalantly as she turned to look at Alexa. "What kind of Pokémon does Viola use? You know, like, hypothetically, if I had an army of doom, would she be a good fit for it?"

"Oh, I thought everyone knew," Alexa said cheerfully. "No wonder they have that forest set up to keep the scum from Vaniville and Aquacorde out. She's an expert on bug-type Pokémon."

"You wouldn't expect to hear those words together," Calem laughed. "Um, Serena? You OK?"

The sight of the scumbag crown on Calem's head had already pushed Serena's patience, but the mere mention of bug-types pushed her over the edge. She started grinding her teeth together, her eye twitching at the very thought of someone dedicating their careers to such vile things.

_Bugs_. _Nasty, stinky, creepy, crawly, jittery, all-legs no-brains kind of BUGS! _

"Oh, yeah, you really don't like bug-types," Calem laughed. "Well, tough luck, if you're not challenging the gym, I guess I can go ahead and-"

"No!" Serena snapped. "I fully intend to face her. And I can't wait to wipe her and her Pokémon off the face of this planet. Yes – sweet fire, it cleanses all..."

"Sounds good!" Shauna piped in suddenly. "I'll go with you! I wanna see how you battle! This is going to be fun!"

"What? Hey, uh, me too!" Calem said. "I mean, I want that badge too, but, um, you can face her first."

"Tierno, Trevor!" Serena yelled at the remaining two, who immediately stood at attention. "Get to the Pokémon Center and stock up on Potions, Poké Balls and Repel! If you don't buy an even-numbered amount, you know what happens! Now all I need is the right inspiration for this..."

"Oh, I almost forgot," Alexa said. "The stores around here are run by some real elitists, but if you have a good reputation, or you get more gym badges, they show you stuff that they don't keep around just for the average shmoes."

"And that was it! Alexa, take me to your sister so I can _burn her gym to the ground_!"

"Sure thing!" Alexa said obliviously.

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Santalune City Gym, Kalos**_

The gym was oddly small: it looked more like a tiny, mostly empty art gallery with pictures of bug-type Pokémon around (making Serena flicker her lighter nervously) and a big hole in the middle of the floor, a thin steel pipe leading down into the hole and places beyond.

The Gym guide cheerfully approached Serena, Shauna and Calem, Alexa having returned to Lumiose City after showing the group the gym.

"What's the hustle, little Crustle?" he asked Serena in a manner that made her groan. "Here to challenge Viola?"

"Yes!" Serena yelled. "Take me to your leader, please."

"Whoa, don't buzz off just yet, little Lady-ba," the gym guide said.

"Please stop."

"We don't want people crawling over to the gym leader and bugging her before we see if they're up to the task," the gym guide continued. "You have to go down that pipe and make your way to the leader by navigating around a sticky maze of a spider web. If you don't think you have what it takes, don't be Hera-_cross_ with us and make a U-turn instead-"

Serena grabbed the gym guide by his shirt and dragged him to her level, pulling his face uncomfortably close to hers.

"I didn't come here to listen to your crap, and I'm not sliding down that pipe," Serena grumbled. "Just ask all the little critters at Santalune Forest how powerful I am. Take me to Viola _now_ – I insist!"

"Can you at least make a bug pun?" the gym guide whimpered

Serena sighed. "Um... I _insect-_st?"

"Eww... no wait, I get it. Not very good, but all right. We'll skip the gym ritual today – a lot of people _have_ fallen off into the endless pit below the gym already. You can see Viola now."

"_Thank you_," Serena said. "Please don't tell me she makes stupid puns too."

"...I won't tell you. But we can't let your friends get into the chambers. They can follow the battle through the video screen from this floor."

"Well, good luck, Serena!" Shauna cheered and rummaged through her bag for something. "Here!"

Shauna dumped about ten bottles of Potion and a few Paralyze Heals and Antidotes into Serena's bag, Serena eying Shauna curiously.

"Oh, I'm _really_ good at finding things from the ground!" Shauna explained. "You can't believe how much stuff people just throw away these days."

"No wonder you spent half you time in the boutique rummaging through their garbage cans..."

"There was a Great Ball in the garbage once!"

So, Serena was brought to Viola. Apart from her hair being sandy-blonde, Viola looked disturbingly lot like her sister, and was currently photographing a Scyther that was apparently 'posing' in what Serena could only assume was meant to be suggestive or something. As for who actually paid for these kinds of photographs – Serena didn't want to know.

"With you in a minute, darling!" Viola called out in the middle of the photographing session. "Yes, brilliant, honey, that's it, give me your naughty look..."

After a few minutes of photographing, Viola ended her session with Scyther and walked up to Serena. Noticing Serena's ensemble, Viola immediately gushed over it and started taking pictures of her, practically blinding Serena with the camera's flash.

"Hey!" Serena snapped. "I don't remember giving you permission to take my picture!"

"True," Viola remarked callously and took one more. "But that glint in your eye, that determined expression. Oh, wow! Such fashion! Many style!"

"Can we move it on, please?" Serena asked. "I need a badge, and I'm here to show you why your bug-type Pokémon suck grass!"

"Ooh, sassy," Viola commented, not at all bothered by Serena's insult. "You know, whether it's the tears of frustration following a loss or the blossoming of joy that comes with victory, I _love_ photographing trainers and their lovely Pokémon. But I should let you know – my lens is always focused on victory, and I won't let _anything_ ruin this shot."

Serena groaned.

"Are all of you Kalos gym leaders like this?" she wondered. "I mean, I heard you had quirks and stuff but _seriously_?"

"All right, all right," Viola said, grabbing a Poké Ball from her pocket. "With my Pokémon, I'll beat you quicker than a shutter set to 1/1000 can snap shut! It'll only be a snap and a flash as I mow down your Pokémon!"

"Can you stop that?"

"That'd be a _negative_, my photogenic pal. But don't worry, this battle begins now. _Music, please_!"

Serena was about to yell at her to get on with it and ignore some stupid music... but then she heard the incredibly catchy electro tune starting, being quiet at first but slowly intensifying, the pulsating beat making Serena bop her head and snap her fingers without even noticing.

"_Da__ng, _that _is_ a catchy tune," she whispered.

"We Kalos gym leaders have good taste, after all," Viola flaunted. "Go, Surskit!"

"Fennekin, go!"

While Serena went with her trusty and adorable starter, Viola's Pokémon was blue with a round body and three long, skinny legs – it was the legs that Serena hated the most with bug-types. Either they were creepy or there were just too many of them.

"Surskit, Bubble!"

"Fennekin, Flame Charge!"

Stomping on the ground with its little paws, Fennekin was suddenly enveloped in red and orange flames and leaped into the air, charging at Surskit with incredible speed, easily evading the slowly moving bubbles and knocking into the Surskit, dazing it momentarily.

"Now, Tail Whip!"

Being close enough to Surskit to attack physically, Fennekin slapped it around with its puffy little tail, preventing it from making a move of its own until Fennekin stopped.

"Surskit, Water Sport!"

Surskit fired a stream of water from its mouth, soaking the entire battlefield, though Fennekin was quick enough to dodge most of the water. Serena cringed, but the water didn't seem to affect Fennekin, so she ordered the finishing move.

"Finish it off with Scratch!"

Fennekin barked in agreement, swiping at the Surskit with its claws. Just one scratch finally knocked out the Surskit. Viola didn't seem affected, instead opting to just take pictures of the battle situation, calmly recalling Surskit after its fall.

"Fantastic, just fantastic!" Viola said while photographing Fennekin from different angles, the Fox Pokémon being all too happy to pose for the camera. "Your Pokémon are showing me a whole new depth of field, awesome! But we'll see how this develops as I take one last shot!"

"This gym is burning to the ground, I swear..."

"Go, Vivillon!"

Serena was expecting to see another creepy-crawly, but Vivillon turned out to be a surprisingly pretty Pokémon. Well, its actual body was hideous, but its large, colorful wings had elegant patterns on them.

_But pretty or not, it has to burn_.

"Fennekin, Ember!"

"Vivillon, swoop down!"

_Swoop down? That's not a move I've heard of_.

The Vivillon was quick to dive into one of the many puddles the Surskit had left on the floor, leaving it soaking with water. As the Ember attack landed, Vivillon seemed barely grazed by it.

"You clever blighter," Serena said approvingly. "But I have a way to dry you off. Fennekin, Flame Charge!"

"Vivillon, Powder!"

Flapping its wings rapidly, the Vivillon released a cloud of thick, yellow powder at Fennekin's direction. As soon as the powder touched Fennekin's flames, it combusted, causing an explosion that knocked Fennekin out cold.

Serena was aghast at this. So far, her Fennekin hadn't lost once. It was too adorable to lose! Either way, Serena was forced to recall it and send out her next Pokémon: Fletchling. Though its chirp was as cutesy as with the other members of its species, Fletchling's glare at the Vivillon was a look of pure murder.

"Fletchling, Quick Attack!" Serena ordered.

Fletchling spread its wings and launched itself at the Vivillon, managing to hit the bug-type with a full-body tackle.

"Now, Tackle!"

"Vivillon, Infestation!" Viola ordered.

Before Fletchling could move, small, green insect-like creatures appeared from out of nowhere, all swarming around Fletchling. Within seconds, Fletchling was trapped by the strange creatures crawling all over it, the little bird's usually determined face cringing in agony.

_She's doing that to my Fletchling. Putting _bugs_ all over it._

_Stupid, horrible, slimy, disgusting BUGS!_

"Agility!" Serena screeched.

Fletchling moved faster than ever before, nimbly making its way past the green creepy crawlies, practically vanishing from its earlier spot, reappearing right behind the Vivillon.

"Now, Peck!"

Fletchling tucked its wings and lunged at the Vivillon its beak first, managing to stab the Vivillon repeatedly with its beak. After five repeated pecks, Fletcling not giving Vivillon any time to recover, the bug-type finally went down.

Viola didn't seem too upset at all, just ecstatic over getting such great shots. She gave Serena the Bug Badge (as it was shaped like a beetle, Serena quickly hid it at the bottom of her bag) in recognition for her victory and advised her to get to Lumiose City, which housed not only Sycamore's lab, but also another gym, ran by, in Viola's words "some creepy nerd". Serena was so pumped up about her victory that she didn't even burn the gym down... for now.

She still made Viola bow down to her and recognize the supremacy of fire-types. For some reason, Viola was outright eager to do so. Because this creeped Serena out more than it boosted her ego, she was quick to leave through a hidden door at the back.

All in all, it had been a good day.

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Lumiose City Gym, Kalos**_

On the highest floor of Lumiose's pride and joy, the fabulous Prism Tower, was a dark chamber where the gym leader, Clemont, lived. Having said he wouldn't accept challenges today, he spent his time obsessively tinkering with his latest invention. Sweat dripping down his face, he ranted manically to himself as he put the finishing touches to what he deemed to be his greatest invention yet: a robot that couldn't be told apart from a human being.

Clemont's younger sister, Bonnie, stood nervously at the entrance to Clemont's room, knocking warily on the opened door.

"Don't turn on the lights yet!" Clemont yelled as soon as he noticed Bonnie entering. "You came just in time, sis. Witness the ultimate power of my invention!"

"Actually, I came here to see if you were okay," Bonnie said quietly. "You've been in here for six days. Mom has been really worried about you – she said she didn't raise her son to be a shut-in-"

"Nothing is ever good for her!" Clemont wailed. "You'd think becoming a frickin' _gym leader_ would appease her, but _noooo_! But we'll see how she reacts – we'll see how _all of those fools_ react – when I unleash the power of my creation!"

Clemont adjusted his big round glasses, somehow making life reflect off them and obscure his eyes even though only a small amount of light got in through the open door.

"Gah!" Bonnie flinched. "How did you do that? I thought it only happened in anime!"

"Practice," Clemont whispered. "Years and years of practice. Now, Bonnie... behold!"

Clemont pulled a string dangling from the ceiling, turning on a single lamp and pulling off the cover obscuring his robot. Bonnie gasped at what she saw: it looked almost exactly like a human, with its eyes closed and its body tilted forward as if had fallen asleep on its feet. For whatever reason, it looked like a young, brown-haired woman wearing a maid outfit.

"Her name is Camille," Clemont said proudly and stroked the robot's arms creepily.

"Why did you make... _her_... look like that?" Bonnie asked.

"BECAUSE!" Clemont roared. "Now, say hello to Bonnie, Camille," he added with a creepy whisper as he grabbed a remote control from the floor and pointed the robot with it.

"Before you do that... what do you plan to _do_ with that robot?"

"I'm going to unleash her to the world, see how people react! If everyone is fooled, I'm going to make her catch Pokémon and see how she battles. If all goes well, I'll mass-produce an unbeatable robot army!"

"...of course, how stupid of me to ask..."

"Indeed," Clemont said. "Now, Camille... wake up!"

Clemont pushed the button on his remote. Scared of what was about to happen but also too afraid to flee, Bonnie stood still and observed as the maid robot stood up straight and slowly opened its eyes, its mouth turning to a strange, unnatural smile. Then, it slowly opened its mouth, uttering its first words in a mechanical voice:

"**_I_was_created_solely_to_do_battl_****_e!_**"

* * *

**_A/N: I know I said I wouldn't have much of these, but I have to acknowledge the support and feedback I've gotten. Thank you so much for reading, all of you, and I hope you continue to do so in the future. Chapter three (Lumiose City, baby!) will be up in a few days. Thanks to anonymous reviewers Someone and Greninja for their reviews, and thanks to Bloody Nailbunny, adorkabledork, Mauveamigirl and turbotails23 for favoriting/following. And thanks to everyone else who took the time to read as well._**

**_Opinions made by character do not necessarily reflect the views of the author. Some bug-type Pokémon, like Heracross, are actually hella rad._**


	3. Scent of Sycamore

"Oh, _mais je rêve! _We have arrived to one of my favorites parts of this _farfelu_ tale. I mean, sure, homicidal lunatics and their clueless companions can be fun in small doses, but it gets old after a while. This boring old story needs some new blood... some _smoking hot_ new blood. Yes, after an arduous trip through Parterre Way, where a simple eye-contact with a random stranger led to a fight – not to mention broken bones and second-degree burns for all concerned – our her... our protago... _these kids _finally arrived to the greatest city in the world: Lumiose City. See if you can spot the very pillar that makes this silly tale worth reading."

"_Allons-y_!"

**Chapter Three: _Scent of Sycamore_**

"Serena – whoa – do we have to – ow- use these?"

"Do you have any idea how many people I had to threaten to get all of us a pair of roller skates? You'll use them and you'll like them!"

Serena and her minions were making their way through Route 4, also known as Parterre Way, traveling past the lush gardens and hedge mazes and the trainers staring at their clumsy attempts to stay on their roller skates. Serena had initially stumbled, but was now making steady progress, while Calem, Trevor and Shauna struggled, Shauna eventually having to hold on to Serena to avoid falling. Tierno, on the other hand, had instantly learned how to use them, and was now gracefully circling around the group while still moving forward, yelling out advice and encouragement to the others until Calem told him to shut up.

Eventually, though, they stumbled close to their destination: Lumiose City. The magnificent Prism Tower and other tall buildings were already clearly visible.

Serena could barely contain her excitement. Managing to stop, she spread her arms to force Shauna, Trevor and Calem to stop as well, Calem falling on his behind for the seventh time after knocking into the others.

"Behold!" she said. "Past that gate is Lumiose City, the capital of Kalos, the home of the world's most finest fashion, most stupefying style and the coolest culture. As soon as our quest to find the legendary Pokémon succeeds, this will be our base of operations – but before that, I'm going to shop till my wallet screams for mercy!"

"Doesn't it already do that after you spent all that money in the boutique yesterday?" Shauna wondered.

"Well, I think Fennekin and Fletchinder made enough newbies cry for me to afford a new dress or two. Plus I bottled some of their tears, which will get me a mint in some circles. Trust me – when you're in Lumiose, you're not short of money-making opportunities."

"You've been here before?" Calem asked.

"My mom has been here several times, including when she was expecting me, so in a way, yes. Now, let's see, we have to visit the Boutique Couture, because what's the point of coming here if you don't do that? Also, we have to check out the PR Studio, get some lunch at the Sushi High Roller, check out the café scene-"

"And visit Professor Sycamore's lab!" Tierno piped in.

"And visit – what?"

"Well... isn't that the whole reason we came here?"

Serena stared at Tierno blankly.

"I mean, shopping and restaurants and all that is fun, too!" Tierno said quickly when he saw something ignite in Serena's eyes. "But, Sycamore had something important to tell us!"

"He might know about the legendary Pokémon, too," Serena pondered. "All right, screw it, we'll go there, but _after_ we tour a couple of clothes stores and cafés."

"Ooh, I wanna trim a Furfrou !" Shauna squeed. "Serena, can we go there, please? _Please_~?"

Serena rolled her eyes. Pretty Pokémon were great, but she never understood what the deal was with Furfrou. At least Fennekin was a Pokémon with both style and the ability to turn anything in her way into a pile of ashes.

"Ooh, and we should also totally go to the herb shop," Shauna listed off, "and then the jewelry shop and try out some of those amazing Lumiose Galettes and climb on top of the Prism Tower - ooh, and I want to ride a Gogoat so bad!"

Calem, who had stopped to take a sip from his water bottle, snorted water out of his nose as he broke down in laughter. Shauna didn't seem to understand what was so funny. Serena retorted by nudging Calem slightly, causing him to lose his balance and fall again.

At the gate separating Route 4 from Lumiose, however, were two young people (though still a bit older than Serena and the gang), a woman and a man, in fancy matching white outfits – even with cute little red and blue bow ties, respectively.

"They're here!" the woman announced loudly. "Heeeeey, guuuuuyyyys~"

"You're in my way," Serena remarked as she and the group carefully approached them, Calem and Trevor still wobbly on their feet due to the roller skates. "You have ten seconds to explain why. Ten... nine..."

"Oh, my, such lovely young trainers!" the woman squealed energetically. "We're professor Sycamore's top students and assistants!"

"...eight... seven..."

"We were both entrusted a PokéDex by the professor two years ago," the man said cheerfully ignoring the increasingly menacing look on Serena's face. "So I guess you could call us voyage veterans!"

"...six... five..."

"I'm Sina, a beautiful name, for a beautiful lady, wouldn't you agree?" the woman said with a wink.

"And _I'm_ Dexio," the man announced. "Just... just Dexio."

"...four... three..."

"Serena, please!" Tierno said in alarm as Serena grabbed her lighter. "We know them, they're really who they say they are, right Trevor?"

Trevor was too busy trying to maintain his balance, though.

"Once I get these skates off, everyone will be destroyed," he grumbled.

"We were out here testing the viability of the newly discovered Fairy-type," Sina said. "But then we received word that you were coming, so we decided to greet you and show you to the lab. The professor is waiting."

"Fine, we'll take your word for it," Serena groaned. "Just tell me, what kind of man is professor Sycamore?"

"He's..." Sina stopped her explanation to sigh dramatically and look up at the sky, a moonstruck smile on her face. "The greatest mentor anyone could hope for. When he arrives into the room, all my troubles just disappear."

"He's truly an inspiration for us all," Dexio said wistfully. "He works tirelessly to help the trainers of Kalos, and still finds a way to keep those beautiful brown locks of hair and that stubble in shape while still appearing carefree and casual."

"When he walks down the lab with that shirt button open...unf!" Sina shivered. "Words can't describe it. And he's been so good to us, too, rewarding for us for our research – perhaps we should screw up a bit so he'd give us a good ol' punishment, eh Dexio?"

"You read my mind," Dexio smirked.

"What the effin' Arceus, _seriously_?!" Serena groaned. "I can't go anywhere without hearing about his magnificence, the great Augustine Sycamore! How much is he paying you to shill him like this?"

"A lot," Dexio admitted. "But I'd do it for free – for him," he added with a sigh.

Serena rolled her eyes... again. "I'll see it for myself when I meet him. Just... just show us where his lab is and we'll go there on our own time!"

"Even better, we'll show you the way!" Sina announced. "Let's go!"

The group finally taking off their skates, Serena didn't have time to protest as her companions were being dragged away from her, Sina and Dexio leading them through the gate and into the city proper.

Serena had anticipated Lumiose to be great, but nothing could have prepared for the burst of beauty that bedazzled her being as she laid eyes on the city's South Boulevard. Clean, yellow streets of brick and cobblestone with people and Pokémon from all parts of the world crowding around, a little café or a shop in every corner, everyone dressed with unparalleled style. Even Castelia City was nothing compared to this. With Prism Tower looming above everything else in the city, Furfrou and Skiddo playing around amidst the grass and trees growing between the streets and sidewalks, Serena finally felt at home.

_Anville Town can kiss my_-

"So, have you kids heard of the Masked Heroes?" Dexio asked as he and Sina led the group forward.

"Should we care?" Serena asked immediately.

"I hear they're a pair of traveling superheroes who live in Lumiose City," Sina said, glancing at Dexio. "Would be _really_ fun to meet them, I bet."

"Uh huh."

"Yeah, they could be _closer than we imagine, _right Sina?" Dexio said with an annoyingly smug smile on his face. "I would love to hear about the _amazing things they have done protecting the region_!"

"Kind of weird I haven't heard from them before," Shauna remarked.

"Well, you do come from the boonies, so it's forgiven," Sina said.

"Superheroes, huh?" Serena said. "Shauna, you better write them down. If we meet them, we'll give them the 'join or burn' option."

"What?" Dexio wondered.

"So which way to the lab?" Serena asked.

"Just a few more blocks down the Southern Boulevard," Sina said and pointed at a tall building ahead. "You can _just_ see it from here. The Pokémon Center is just opposite to it, too."

"Yeah, cool, cool," Serena said absentmindedly, licking her lips and shifting her eyes in thought. "Say, Calem, Tierno, Trevor, what if you boys head on up to meet professor McGorgeous while me and Shauna will, um..."

"Ice cream?" Shauna suggested.

"Scope out the city in advance!" Serena said. "Yeah, we'll do that so we don't get lost while we explore. Take care, bye-bye now, see you soon!"

"Serena," Tierno said, "don't you think we should stick toge-"

"_This is an order_," Serena growled.

"Okay!" Tierno squealed.

"Leave it to us, Ser!" Calem said and saluted Serena mockingly. "I hear the professor might be handing out more Pokémon, so don't take too long if you don't want me to pick up the best one!"

"Take the fire-type and you'll be shipped back to Vaniville in a matchbox," Serena said.

Calem laughed nervously while Tierno gulped. Either way, the three boys followed Sina and Dexio down Southern Boulevard while Serena grabbed Shauna with her and headed towards a nearby alley that, according to the road sign, led to 'Vert Plaza'.

"So where are we going?" Shauna asked excitedly. "Furfrou grooming? Galettes? The Looker Bureau?"

"Shauna, I have to – Looker Bureau?" Serena wondered. "Why does that sound familiar?"

"I'll check!" Shauna said cheerfully and opened the electronic Town Map she kept in her bag. "Ah, according to the guide it's a building that was rented by a detective called Looker from the International Police. Let's see, there's a link to the news article... he wants to fight organized crime in Kalos, his home region, and is calling out for people to fight on the side of justice. Hmm, it doesn't say where the Bureau is, though, just the detective's word on the matter. He says 'we will find you'. Sounds like a cool guy, right Serena? Um, Ser?"

Serena was just staring blankly into the distance, memories flooding into her mind.

_She and Grace's Rhyhorn stood in the burning barn, the man with a trench coat and his Croagunk having somehow tracked her down. She had met him before in Nimbasa City, but his nasal voice and odd syntax of speech made Serena let her guard down and say too much – her mom being so well-known didn't help matters at all. Little did Serena know how far this detective would chase her. _

"_End of the line, Serena," the detective said. "I'd give up now. A young girl with your intelligence and tenacity doesn't belong in prison. No one has died yet – no one who will be missed, anyway – so we can end this peacefully._"

Serena shuddered, but was brought back to her senses by a repetitive voice calling out her name.

"Serena?" Shauna said. "Serena? Serena? _Serena_? Serrr-eeeeeeena~ ?"

"What?" Serena said.

"...Serena?"

"WHAT?!"

Shauna winced. "Sorry."

Serena covered her eyes. "No, don't be, you didn't do anything wrong. Just... I don't think we should go to the Looker Bureau. How about we head on to that hair salon, Coiffure Clips, instead? Get a new look – a _completely _new look, make us unrecognizable! My treat! The boys can wait!"

"Cool!" Shauna cheered. "Thanks. You know, I'm so lucky to travel with you! "

"You mean be my expert henchman?"

"Whatever, I don't care!" Shauna said. "I just want to make a lot of fun memories and help you any way I can ! You saved me back there in Anville Town, after all!"

"Well... no problem," Serena said awkwardly. "But we have to do something about your Pokémon skillz. You can't just capture whatever you see that looks cute – though the cuteness is a bonus – and you need to seriously improve your battling style. I'll help you with that!"

"Yay !"

"Quite. I'll also get you some new clothes. I mean, those are fine, but you can't have the future Duchess of Coastal Kalos looking all common-y. We'll sell some of that weird junk you've been finding on the ground to buy you something nice and expensive."

But before Serena and Shauna could walk very far, a surly-looking man wearing a hard hat stopped the girls from advancing further.

"I'm sorry, there's a blackout on the north side of town," the man said bluntly.

"Wha... so?" Serena asked.

"You can't go any farther until it's fixed," the guy continued and then just stood there quietly.

Serena was incensed and was about to open Fennekin's Poké Ball and order her to make _douchebag de terre_ for lunch. But doing it under the nose of detective Looker – if it really was him...

_Damn it_.

"Whatever, we'll find another way to get to that salon," Serena said. "Come on, Shauna!"

Serena and Shauna headed to the Pokémon Center for a quick healing and restocking on items, then decided to head to the street heading north, Vernal Avenue. But somehow, their advance was blocked by _another_ construction worker – who looked completely identical to the one before.

"I'm sorry, there's a blackout on the north side of town," the construction worker said in a voice that matched the man they had met before.

Not only that, but people kept passing by regardless. A man wearing tight jeans, a scarf and thick-rimmed glasses just casually walked past the construction worker, who did nothing to stop him.

"You can't go any farther until it's fixed," the guy said flatly, then just stared at Serena and Shauna quietly.

An old woman walking her Furfrou walked by, the construction worker once again doing _que dalle_ to stop her.

"What the bleep?!" Serena snapped. "Why aren't you stopping any of these other people? And there's clearly activity going on the north side of town! And what about people who live in the south but work in the north?"

"I'm sorry," the guy said monotonously, "but there's a blackout-"

Serena made a noise resembling 'grrraaagh' and left the guy with Shauna before she popped a blood vessel.

"Oh well, we'll get a cut some other time," Shauna said, her disposition not changing at all. "Maybe we should get to the lab now?"

"But..." Serena stuttered. "New look... Looker... Bureau... stopping my plans..."

Shauna stared at Serena, her big, green eyes wide with curiosity. How was Serena going to explain everything to her? She had no doubt that Shauna wouldn't believe whatever polished version of the events she would offer, but outright lying to her face just didn't seem...

_I'm not going soft – I jut don't want to waste anymore time!_

"Never mind, you're right," Serena said. "To the lab!"

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Sycamore Lab, Lumiose City, Kalos**_

The laboratory, despite its place in the middle of one of the busiest parts of town, had a relaxing atmosphere to it, with a lush green garden for Pokémon behind the building. Sina, who was waiting for Serena and Shauna near the entrance, guided the two girls inside and towards the elevator, which they took to the third floor of the lab. Along the way, they passed by many of Sycamore's assistants, all impeccably stylish, which seemed unnecessary for people who spent their time inside doing experiments. Sycamore's assistants and many students all spoke of the man like he was the spawn of Arceus itself, and among the oil painting of Pokémon (apparently painted by Sycamore himself) were big pictures of the man in question.

As the elevator arrived to the third floor and the doors opened with a ping, Serena and Shauna instantly noticed a weird scent in the air. As they stepped out of the elevator, Serena heard a soft, pleasant voice speak out:

"_So we finally meet_!"

Assuming this to be the professor, Serena turned and opened her mouth to give a snarky, belittling remark. But when Serena laid eyes on the professor in the flesh, her mouth stayed open.

Tall and _massively_ good-looking, Sycamore looked more like a male model from Kiloude City wearing a lab coat rather than Serena's idea of a scientist. His curly brown hair made him look like he had just gotten out of bed and gently crawled out from under the massive pile of supermodels he slept with, the blue shirt under his lab coat casually open.

Shauna was less impressed, however.

"What's that smell?" she asked bluntly.

"Oh, you noticed my cologne, did you?" Sycamore asked. "One of the finest inventions we Kalosians ever came up with. Though I am partial to Unovans as well," Sycamore added with a wink at Serena.

Something on the back of Serena's mind wondered if Sycamore knew her age, though he didn't seem to care about her or Shauna as much as he cared about the full-length mirror on the wall he started to look at himself from.

"Ugh, the girls at Coiffure Clips are going to be _so_ disappointed when I don't show up to my weekly appointment," Sycamore lamented. "I'm sure you also noticed the blackout they're having – and the city authorities doing their damnedest to keep people isolated. Funny how the Kalosian government is always so good at _stopping_ people, but when it's the time to help..." Sycamore sighed. "Bureaucracy, huh? A less-than-fine Kalosian invention. But enough chatter, follow me please, you two."

Serena didn't even think of protesting as she followed Sycamore to the back of the room, while Shauna looked restlessly around her.

"Where are the boys?" she wondered.

"Dexio is showing them around," Sycamore replied breezily. "We have a lot of fine things here. The Poké Radar lab, the Sycamore Academy – not the name I suggested, but oh well – the great Pokémon garden, the tanning salon, the cloning lab in the basement-"

"Wait, the what?" Serena wondered.

Sycamore laughed. "Oh, careless me. Don't worry, I'll zap you with the amnesia ray before we leave. Come on, now."

Sycamore led Serena and Shauna to another part of the room separated from the rest of the floor by a divider. A retro gramophone in the corner was playing accordion music, but Sycamore quickly replaced the record currently playing with another one, that started to play a smooth, bass-heavy funk song:

"_I've been really tryin' baby / Tryin' hold back this feeling for so long / And if you feel, like I feel baby / Then come on, oh come on_-"

"That's better," Sycamore commented. "Now, my name is Augustine Sycamore, and nothing makes me tingle with excitement more than seeing young people..."

"Uh," Serena said, weirded out.

"...go on Pokémon journeys," Sycamore finished mercifully. "It seems I did the right thing giving you Pokémon, but I'd still like to see how they're doing. Let them out, _sil vous plait_!"

Serena opened Fennekin's Poké Ball, the Fox Pokémon being spry as ever, barking with excitement upon seeing Sycamore. Shauna's Chespin was also in good shape, though Shauna had decorated with weird pink ribbons. Seeing them made Serena look at Fennekin, a hungry expression on her face – she _had_ to get some of those things.

"Ooh, _trés magnifique_!" Sycamore explained – Serena wondered why he had to switch between languages like that. "They seem to be enjoying your company very much. I mean, they haven't evolved yet, but nobody's perfect. And from what Sina told me, you and _monsieur_ Calem already have the gym badge from Santalune City! You certainly seem to have that certain _je ne sais quoi_! Let's see, you are Shauna, correct?" he asked Shauna, who nodded cheerfully. "_Bien_, so that means _you_ are Serena?"

"None other!" Serena exclaimed. "Why do you ask?"

"I've heard good things about Rhyhorn racer Grace – I have sent her many a letter in the past," Sycamore said.

Serena remembered getting an influx of cologne-smelling letters one time when she was still living in Anville and how she chucked them all in the fireplace – in hindsight, a bad move, so she didn't say anything.

"When I heard she and her _beau_ daughter were moving to Vaniville Town, far away from everything you used to know – it hit me right here," Sycamore grunted, hand on his chest dramatically.

"I don't see the big deal, both of us were sick of Anville Town and we didn't exactly have friends, anyway," Serena said.

Sycamore didn't seem to listen. "That's when I got the idea. Giving you a Pokémon and having you travel all over the region, getting into adventures, filling the pages of my high-tech encyclopedia with useless trivia, the feeling you get when sleeping under the stars obscured by rain clouds and freezing your butt off on the cold, hard ground when your Pokémon ignore your orders and you have no money for decent food and nobody caring about you..." Sycamore groaned, a murderous glint in his eye. "...Arceus, being a trainer frickin' _suck__ed_!"

Suddenly, Sycamore went back to grinning happily.

"Well, anyway, that's what you have to look forward to!" he finished. "Now, let's battle!"

Shauna looked surprised, while Serena just frowned in confusion.

"What, you and me?" she asked, and Sycamore nodded. "Why?"

"Because I wanna. You gonna say no to this face?"

"Well, no... but only because my Fennekin could use the training. My opponents so far haven't been up to par, really..."

"Excellent!" Sycamore said, grabbing a Poké Ball from his pocket and tossing it into the air, catching it with his other hand. "Word of warning, though... I'm terrible."

"Huh?"

"No talk, it's battle time!" Sycamore yelled and tossed his first Poké Ball on the floor of his office, apparently undisturbed by potential collateral damage.

Sycamore's first Pokémon was Bulbasaur, a blue quadruped grass-type with a big green bulb growing from its back. As it opened its mouth to growl at Serena's Fennekin, who just stared at it coolly, it exposed a row of sharp teeth. In right hands, this Pokémon could be pretty badass – too bad Serena was going to burn it down.

"Flame Charge!" Serena ordered.

Fennekin stomped the ground and enveloped its body in a veil of fire. Before Bulbasaur could attack, the Fennekin had leaped at the Bulbasaur and tackled it, the fiery attack knocking it out with a single blow. Merely laughing in an annoying "_hon hon hon_" way, Sycamore withdrew the Bulbasaur and sent out his next Pokémon.

Sycamore's next Pokémon was Squirtle, a blue, bipedal turtle-like Pokémon, most of its body encased in a tough-looking brown shell. A water-type wasn't even a thang for Serena, who ordered Fennekin to boost its strength with Howl while Sycamore... ordered Squirtle to use Withdraw.

_Son of a..._ Serena thought as Squirtle pulled its head and limbs inside its shell.

"Okay, then... Fennekin, Psybeam!" Serena ordered.

Fennekin's eyes glowed red and fired a multicolored beam of dizzying energy at the Squirtle. But even the Psybeam attack bounced harmlessly off its shell, causing Sycamore to giggle obnoxiously.

_What an amateur. Believing that hiding in its shell will shield Squirtle from the all-consuming power of FIRE!_

"Fire Spin!" Serena yelled.

Fennekin fired a blast of fire from its mouth at the Squirtle, but the intent wasn't to harm it. Instead, the flames wrapped around its shell and kept on spinning, making it impossible for Squirtle to come out. Close proximity to the fire made Sycamore and Shauna sweat, but Serena enjoyed every second of it, the bright, burning, rattling fire making her feel truly alive.

Serena told Fennekin to just stay still, and indeed, as the flames stopped spinning, Squirtle came out of its shell, tongue hanging out and covered in sweat, unable to battle. Sycamore nodded approvingly and withdrew the Squirtle.

The next one just _had_ to be a fire-type, and indeed, Sycamore sent out a Pokémon that Serena wanted like burning.

_That was terrible_, Serena thought.

Admittedly, the little orange bipedal lizard-like Pokémon with a little flame burning on the tip of its tail didn't look too impressive at first glance. The Charmander lacked the tough shell of a Squirtle and the general badass quality of Bulbasaur. But some part of Serena knew, just _knew_, that one day, that Charmander was going to be the Pokémon to bring Kalos to its knees.

"Fennekin, Psybeam again!"

"Charmander, Smokescreen!" Sycamore yelled.

To Serena's surprise, Charmander reacted first, blasting at Fennekin with a thick burst of black smoke. Fennekin's Psybeam missed completely as it couldn't see anything over the smoke. The Psybeam instead knocked several books out of one of Sycamore's bookshelves. Charmander's speed was indeed impressive, but Serena had an idea.

"Flame Charge!" she ordered.

Once again, Fennekin covered itself in flames before charging at its foe, but Charmander dodged easily, the Flame Charge almost burning Sycamore's desk. Hitting Charmander wasn't Serena's goal, however.

"Now Scratch!" Sycamore ordered.

"Psybeam!"

This time, Fennekin moved out of the way with blistering speed and hit the Charmander with a surgically precise Psybeam attack, knocking the fire-type out.

As Sycamore withdrew the third Pokémon, the battle was over, but the professor wasn't sorry at all – even though his curtains were on fire, which Shauna tried to point out only to be ignored.

"_Trés bien_, Serena!" Sycamore praised and clapped. "You truly are a trainer worth the effort."

Just then, Calem, Tierno and Trevor stepped into the room.

"Wow, it's warm in here," Calem commented.

"Professor, are you aware that you're flaming?" Tierno asked.

"Constantly – can't help it, being as beautiful as I am," Sycamore said and ignored the smoldering tail of his lab coat. "Anyway, it's so good of you to arrive. I was just about to give you Pokémon again. You can choose out of the three I battled Serena with."

"You're giving us Pokémon I just knocked out?" Serena asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Sycamore laughed. "Ain't I a stinker? But as the winner of our battle, Serena gets to ch-"

"CHARMANDER!" Serena yelled.

Sycamore nodded and gave her Charmander's Poké Ball.

"Now, as for the rest, there's five of you and three Pokémon, so I'm assuming that, even though you're from Vaniville Town, you can count. Sooo... how are you gonna choose, rock-paper-scissors, or...?"

"Nah, I'mma stick with the team I have," Tierno said. "I saw those Pokémon when I last visited the lab and none of them had that _je ne sais quoi_ needed for my dance team."

Sycamore didn't appreciate the use of that expression and glowered at Tierno.

"Shut up, kid. You want some of this?" he asked in a low voice, cracking his knuckles.

"W... what?" Tierno wondered.

"Okay then, so Tierno won't be needing one," Sycamore said in a sudden cheerful voice, hands in his pockets, "and Trevor, I know you'll want to focus on the PokéDex and aren't too concerned about battling, so you'll let your friends have them instead, right?"

"Um, actually-"

"Perfect! Shauna, Calem, feel free to choose!"

"I don't even have to think about it!" Calem bragged and grabbed Bulbasaur's Poké Ball. "You'd have to be pretty dumb to have a team of nothing but the same type – _OW_!"

"Oh, sorry, Calem," Serena deadpanned. "I was so dumb that my big old foot crushed your toe. How 'bout that?"

Shauna pondered her choice carefully – even though Sycamore was only holding one more Poké Ball. After a long period of "hmm"ing and stroking her chin, Shauna finally grabbed Squirtle's Poké Ball.

"All right, you and I will be best friends !" she exclaimed.

"Perfect," Sycamore said. "Now I have another thing to give you..."

Sycamore handed Serena, Shauna and Calem box each, all boxes containing a perfectly spherical, crystalline jewel about the size of an orange, all colored differently. They also had a flame-shaped pattern circling inside them. Serena's was blue and black, Shauna's was cyan and pink and Calem's was white, blue and brown. They all took the boxes, but no one had an idea what they were, and Sycamore clearly enjoyed the dramatic effect.

"Now," he started, "I bet you're all wondering-"

"YES!" all three shouted at the same time.

Sycamore cleared his throat. "I want you to solve Kalos' greatest mystery, Mega Evolution! It has puzzled even the finest scientific minds."

"So, it will make our Pokémon even stronger?" Serena asked.

She could imagine it now. The sphere Sycamore had given suddenly glowing and sending a beam of light at Charmander, who, somehow gaining an ability to speak, would belt out '_Charmander, warp-evolve to... Mega Charizard_!', proceeding to save both this world and the digital one, proving the justice of our culture – now go and rest, our heroes!

"But, how does it work?" Shauna wondered, looking at her sphere from all different angles. "Do we make our Pokémon eat it? Do they have to carry it around all the time? Do we-"

"You don't want to know what some trainers have tried," Sycamore interrupted. "But yes, Mega Evolution will give your Pokémon a boost of strength during battle. So far, only a handful of people in this whole region have utilized it, and even they don't understand how it works, so I guess you're crud out of luck. My advice is to go to Camphrier Town, a place with a rich and vibrant history."

"Well, this trip at least wasn't all for nothing," Calem said. "I'm going to whip my Bulbasaur silly until it Mega Evolves! And then, Ser, you and me will have a match."

Serena shrugged. "Fine, but if my Pokémon eats yours, I won't be held accountable."

"Oh, it's good to see such an adventurous spirit in you youngsters!" Sycamore gushed. "I only have two more things for you to do: go out there and be the best trainers you can be. And number two: get the **** out of my lab!"

"What was that word again, I couldn't see it over the asterisks?" Shauna asked.

"It's better that way," Sycamore said.

"All right, my friends – and Calem," Serena said. "Go outside and wait for me there. I have one more thing to talk about with the professor."

The other four were happy to oblige and headed for the elevators. Sycamore seemed confused as to why Serena had stayed behind and glanced at her impatiently.

"Yes?" he asked while Serena just stood there, smiling devilishly. "I have a lot of work to-"

Serena withdrew Fennekin and let her Fletchinder out. Fletchling's evolution was bigger and fiercer as well as better, harder, faster and stronger than what it was before, but most importantly, it had evolved into the most glorious type of them all. No more of that Normal guff.

"I have one more question for you, Syccie," Serena said as Fletchinder flew on the professor shoulder and squeezed it with her talons. "I want to know about the legendary Pokémon that can grant immortality."

"What?" Sycamore wondered. "Get this bird off me, it's heavier than it looks! I don't know anything about _OWW MY BEAUTIFUL SHOULDER_!"

Sycamore wailed as Fletchinder squeezed even harder, the force of its grip causing Sycamore to almost double over.

"Okay, okay, I do know something about it, _please_!"

Serena nodded at Fletchinder who stopped squeezing, but stayed perched on the professor. Catching his breath, he guided Serena behind his desk. There, he grabbed a document from his drawer and gave it to Serena.

"But we only have theories – I should have never been stupid enough to blabber about it," Sycamore sighed. "According to both myths and scientific research conducted over a hundred years ago, there is a Pokémon in Kalos capable of creating life – plant life, mainly – on its own."

"So?" Serena asked. "_I_ can do that, though that would mean not showering for a few months-"

"No, nothing like that," Sycamore interrupted in disgust. "It can create entire forests at will. Legends say that its life is cyclical, and it releases all of its life energy into all living things around it, then transforms into a tree to sleep for a millennium."

"_Iiii~hiiinteresting_," Serena murmured as she browsed at the file. "What is it called?"

"As a scientist, I don't take these ancient writings as the absolute truth, so I prefer to just call it, if it even exists, the 'Life Pokémon'," Sycamore explained. "But scriptures call it 'Xerneas'. I'm afraid there's not much there, no one has seen it as far as I know so there are no estimates about its appearance, size, habitat or even type-"

"This'll work," Serena smirked. "Thank you, professor. With this, immortality is at my grasp."

"Dang, girl, you messed up," Sycamore panted, and after a pause, added: "I like it. Here, if you visit Grace again, take her this letter."

Sycamore gave another cologne-scented envelope to Serena, who looked at it curiously.

"Is it okay for me to read it?" Serena asked.

"Well... how old were you again?"

"Seventeen."

"Then no."

Serena shuddered and quickly put the envelope away.

Outside the lab, the rest of the group looked at Serena expectantly. Making sure everyone's attentions, especially Shauna's, were directed at her, Serena started speaking:

"Loyal followers!" Serena said. "I have managed to make the professor into an ally – I think. With him, we can influence the young minds of this generation!"

"For the all the good that will do," Trevor grumbled.

"He has given us a lead regarding the Pokémon that can make me – whoops, I mean us... no, wait, I take that back, I mean _me_ – immortal!"

"Yay !" Shauna exclaimed.

"Yay indeed," Serena said. "Now, for stage two of our operation. I planned this last night, and though there aren't many places in this great city of lights that we can't get into, my plan hinges on the building right next to us."

"The PR Video studio?" Tierno wondered. "What are you looking from there?"

"Allow me to demonstrate!

But before they could leave, someone coughed as he approached the group. It was a very tall man with a bush of spiky orange hair that would make Unova's ex-Champion Alder go mad with envy, along with a neat, well-trimmed beard and a snazzy coat with a fur collar. Calem gasped at the sight of him, though Serena had no idea who it was.

"Hello," the man said in a deep, quiet voice. "I was heading to the lab to meet my old friend Sycamore – now there's a man to _die_ for – and the five special teenagers who got PokéDexes from him. Such adorable young people indeed – I could just _throttle_ all of you... with my love."

"Um," Serena said.

"Divine Dialga!" Calem exclaimed. "That's Lysander, CEO of Lysander Labs!"

"_**LYSANDRE**_!" the man roared and suddenly went back to being blank-faced again. "You must get it right – you must. Your life depends on it. Yes. I am the head of Lysandre Labs, building a better world for tomorrow. You, my dear children, are the chosen ones. Are you using the Holo Casters? Please tell me you're using the Holo Casters."

"Oh, yeah, everyone in Kalos uses these!" Tierno said and showed off his own. "Great for communication!"

"Yes," Lysandre said. "Knowledge is power, yes. Power corrupts, yes, but not me, for I am Lysandre."

"Okay..." Serena said. "Did you-"

"What?" Lysandre asked.

"Did you want-"

"What? What is it that you want to ask?"

"I just wanted to-"

"If you didn't want to say anything, then just... _shh_," Lysandre said quietly. "Professor Sycamore has taught a lot to me, too, yes. You, as Pokémon trainers, must work tirelessly to create a new and better world. A beautiful world, yes. That is what I desire. Did I tell you what I desire?"

"Yes," Serena said flatly. "A beautiful world."

"A beautiful world," Lysandre repeated.

"What kind of world?" Shauna asked. "Sorry, I wasn't listening. Wow, my new Squirtle can use Water Gun, you guys, this is awesome!"

Lysandre suddenly walked close to the group.

"Killallthefilth" he whispered.

"What?" Serena asked.

"Oh, nothing," Lysandre said and stepped back. "Now, I must go. My corporation needs me. A beautiful world... immortality, yes... mm."

And with that, the strange man walked away.

"Wow!" Calem said. "I can't believe we got to meet Lewsandre! He seemed like a great guy!"

"I dunno," Serena said. "Call me suspicious, but there's _something_ fishy about that dude."

"Oh, Serena, you and your paranoia!" Shauna chastised. "When has a corporate executive ever done anything evil? Now tell us what you were going to do!"

"Better yet," Serena said, "I'll show you what I'll do!"

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: PR Video Studio, Lumiose City, Kalos**_

After Serena had finished talking to the clerk, she ran over to the other four to tell them her plan, the others having finished reading the papers Serena had given them.

"All right, me and Mr. receptionist there made a deal!" Serena announced perkily. "I won't burn down his house and he'll not only let us shoot our film here, but he'll send the finished product to the Holo Casters of every trainer in the city. From there, I hope it'll spread all over to the rest of the region."

"I've always dreamed of shooting a PR video !" Shauna squeed, hands clasped together as he admired the interiors of the studio. "Can I do it, Serena, please~?"

"On your own time, sure, whatever, but _first _I want all of you to appear in _my_ video!"

"Dare I ask why?" Tierno inquired.

"What do you think I can do with just the four of you and your Pokémon who probably aren't even up to level twenty yet?" Serena asked. "I need more followers to my cause! I need people to support me during the initial rough years when I rise to power – that is why I need the PR Video, and I've given you all integral parts to play. I'll direct!"

"I hope you'll do something about this dialogue, first," Trevor grumbled.

"Yeah, Serena, about this whole 'taking over the Kalos region' thing," Tierno started. "I admit that our current leadership could be better, but-"

"Oh, Tierno, don't be like that!" Calem said and jabbed his friend in the arm. "We promised to be by Serena's side, and it's all in good fun, right?"

"Fun must be earned," Serena said. "Act or act while on fire, your choice. You'll even get to dance!"

"Well, then sign me in!" Tierno said excitedly. "You haven't marked all the roles in this script, though – like, who is 'the host'?"

"It has to be someone presentable," Serena said. "Though I have a pretty good idea already. After all, who's the most attractive out of us all?"

"Aww, yeah," Calem exclaimed.

"Trevor, naturally," Serena said and pointed at the small boy.

"Awwwhhaaatyousay?!" Calem shouted.

"M-me?" Trevor wondered. "B-but, I'm fine with a background part. I can be a prop. I can't be in the center of the stage! And besides, these fools will never take my plans of subjugating them all under _my_ regime seriously if I appear too invested in _your_ foolish movie, Unovan!"

"Fine, you have stage fright," Serena sighed. "Guess I'll direct _and_ host."

"Ooh, we get to wear costumes as well," Calem said as the clerk wheeled a selection of different outfits for the group in. "So, what are you gonna put on, Ser? I think I see a fluffy pink miniskirt and Fennekin ears and a tail with your name on it~"

"How degrading," Serena grumbled. "I'll just keep these clothes on – I have my dignity. Ooh, but I'll have the ears and tail, so cute! Still, that skirt looks pretty cool, so I'm sure we'll have use for it..."

"Oh," Calem said. "Wait..."

"Lights, camera, action, let's roll!" Serena yelled.

**~o~O~o~**

"_**Firefox Productions Present,**_

_**a Serena film**_

_**Written by Serena**_

_**Produced by Serena, Fennekin, Fletchinder, Charmander and flammable materials everywhere**_

_**SERENA – THE (ONLY) HOPE OF KALOS**_

_**© Serena and company 2XXX All rights reserved. Pirates will be incinerated.**_"

Wearing a pink tutu, Tierno skipped happily on an unrealistic grassy knoll.

"La-la-la~" Tierno sang. "I'm so happy to be an artistically talented young man in Kalos!"

However, his joyous skipping came short when a person and a Pokémon in uniform stopped his advance – Shauna and her Chespin, both wearing thick fake mustaches.

"Stop right there, criminal scum!" Shauna said in a deep voice. "You are arrested on the grounds, of, uh... expressing your artistic talents. Yes. Away with you!"

"Woe is me!" Tierno moaned. "If only there was someone who could help!"

Suddenly, Serena and her perfectly groomed Fennekin wearing a pink bow stepped in, Serena wearing her normal clothes except with Fennekin ears and a tail slapped in for no discernible reason other than the 'kawaii factor'.

"Are you tired of this happening to you?" Serena asked the audience. "Fear not, artistically talented Pokémon trainers! Under my regime, artistic freedom will never be suppressed, and reviewers and critics will not be tolerated – _under penalty of torture_. So pick me, Serena, as your leader. Do not fear: you will not have to vote for me in a democratic election. Simply be there by my side when me and my Pokémon crush all resistance. We'll see what else my glorious future has in store for you..."

The scenery suddenly switched to an obviously painted backdrop of a quiet village. Wearing an oversized lab coat, Trevor gave a Poké Ball to Calem, who wore only a pink miniskirt, a tiny pink tube top and a pink ribbon on top of his hair.

"Before I give you this Pokémon – are you a boy or are you a girl?" Trevor asked in a professor-y voice.

"If only professors wouldn't ask me that every time!" Calem sighed theatrically. "I'm a girl!"

"Well, you're ready to begin your adventures in the world of Pokémon!" Trevor said, putting all his effort in his dramatic reading. "Be sure to wear this outfit at all times. _Trevoristhebest_!"

"And doesn't this just grind everyone's Klinklangs?" Serena asked when she and Fennekin stepped in again. "Senile professors not fit to do their jobs and female Pokémon trainers forced to wear skimpy outfits – it's a plague in our great nation! Together, we will introduce the greatness that is Kalosian fashion all over the world and will impose _my_ rule on these pretentious Pokémon professors!"

Suddenly, the scene switched to a dramatic closeup of Serena's face, Serena holding Fennekin in her arms so she would show up on camera, too.

"_But beware_!" Serena said dramatically. "Opposition lurks at every corner!"

Suddenly, the scene switched to a seedy city backdrop, Shauna wearing a burlap sack and threatened by Calem dressed in a trench coat similar to Looker's. Shauna was on her knees while Calem stood over her and laughed evilly.

"Oh no!" Shauna exclaimed. "I'm only a poor orphan from the streets of Lumiose and I'm being harassed by the corrupt and bad-smelling detective Looker!"

"Ha-ha-ha!" laughed Calem. "Yes, I truly am harassing this orphan and I am _indeed_ detective Looker, known for my corruption and odor! Um, boo, grr, all that!"

"_Non_!" Shauna wailed. "I wish there was someone to help us orphans, but no one cares about poorest me, especially not our current freely elected leaders and our Champion... uh... line?"

"_Diantha_," Serena whispered.

"Yeah, her!" Shauna said. "Oh, fiddlesticks!"

"Stick in the script," Calem muttered.

The scene switched to Serena again, this time against a backdrop of cute hearts and dazzling stars, Fennekin still in her arms.

"Under my rule, the Champion and leader will be the same person – me!" Serena proclaimed. "And there will be no orphans, inequality, sadness, boring TV shows, smelly people and people with poor fashion sense in our fair land – this, I promise! The immortal ruler of Kalos is at your side!"

Trevor suddenly popped his head into the shot.

"Look out for Trevor, _he's_ gonna take over, not this one!" he managed to yell out before Serena pushed him away.

"And remember," Serena said and held Fennekin with one hand while aiming a prop gun at her head with the other. "If you betray me, this _adorable_ Fennekin gets it! So when the time comes and I emerge victorious over those who dare oppose me, join my legion, and remember the name..."

Calem, Shauna, Tierno and Trevor all appeared into the shot next to Serena, Trevor doing his part rather flatly.

"SERENA!" they all yelled out at once.

"_**Fin.**_

_**No Pokémon were hurt in the making of this film except for Shauna's Bunnelby who was almost burned by Serena for making a mess on the floor.**_**"**

**~o~O~o~**

Standing outside the PR Studio, confident that her video would be on everyone's lips by tomorrow (assuming Serena hadn't burned them off), Serena took a deep breath. She then kissed her Fennekin on the head, promising that she would never hold a real gun to its head. The others seemed to have enjoyed their parts as well. Bitten by the acting bug, Shauna had stayed behind to film her own PR Video while Tierno and Trevor had headed to the Pokémon Center to get some supplies. Everyone had agreed to meet at the hotel at eight PM. This left Serena with Calem, but even he seemed distracted and more serious than usual.

"Serena," he said. "I gotta go run an errand – I have a friend who lives in Lumiose and I'd like to pay him a quick visit."

"Visit granted," Serena said. "Take you time – _please_."

"But I'd like to ask you a favor," Calem said quietly. "Meet me at Café Soleil at seven-thirty, _before_ meeting with the others. Deal?"

"Is this important?"

"Kinda... just get there, okay? Gottago, bye!"

Serena watched Calem go, then turned to watch at the orange sky, the sun about to set for the day. Her dream had just taken a huge leap forward, and though the revelation that her enemy was in the region had shaken her, it had an exciting side to it, too. If anything, Serena looked forward to what he would do.

_All right, Looker – make your move_.

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Looker Bureau, shady side of Lumiose City, Kalos  
An hour later**_

Inside Looker's office, the detective's most trusted men were unpacking the last crate full of magnifying glasses and deerstalker hats. Looker had finally settled into his new base of operations in Lumiose City, and was now relaxing in his chair and reading the personnel file of his latest recruit – who happened to stand right in front of him and wait for Looker's final word.

"This is an unexpected move," Looker remarked, "but an interesting one, too. I had no idea about the condition of this region. Now I already have to deal with a street gang causing trouble here in Lumiose, some gang of poorly dressed ponces up to mischief in Geosenge Town and, to top it all off, the Serena case. This new video of hers was pretty outrageous, I dare say. I don't smell, do I? No, wait, better you don't answer. As soon as you contacted me, we did a background check, and while you don't seem too experienced, everything else points to you being a guy we need. Oh, damn it, I'm rambling again. What are your thoughts on this?" he asked the recruit and put the file on the desk.

Calem, standing in attention before Looker, finally relaxed a bit and smiled at the detective.

"Like I said, detective," Calem said, "I'll help you with the Serena case – and nothing more."

"Cheeky little thing – I like you," Looker said and started sucking on a lollipop he grabbed from a jar on his desk. "I was about to put an APB on her – I even warned Iris about her before she ran off to do her duties. And yet you're telling me not to do that...?"

"I have a better plan in mind," Calem bragged. "After all, she hasn't done anything _too _illegal or irrevocable yet, and if given the right nudge, can even be useful to us. Besides, this is more personal revenge on your side, isn't it?"

Looker shrugged nonchalantly while dangling the lollipop in his hand. "It might be," he said. "But I want to make sure she suffers the ultimate price."

"Exactly," Calem said. "Which I why we wait to make the right move. Go for the long-term plan. Just leave her to me, detective Looker."

"Try not to call me that on a regular basis," Looker pointed out. "The world's greatest detective needs a code name for his code name, after all. How about... Ryuzaki?"

"That's going to annoy people," Calem pointed out.

"I thought it was cool," Looker muttered awkwardly. "All right, we'll try 'Handsome'."

"So whenever I greet you, I have to say 'hi, Handsome'?"

Looker grinned. "One of the perks of this job. You don't have to take it, you know."

"I will," Calem promised. "Even if she's not exactly subtle, she has something else going on, and the first thing we'll do is trick her to spill the beans. That's why I hope to see you at Café Soleil at seven-thirty... Handsome."

* * *

**_A/N: A-ha, so as you can see, we here at Heroes of Kalos Abridged aren't just about lame jokes and exaggerated characterization - we have a plot, too! I hope you enjoy this and that it didn't come across as too rushed. Chapter four will be up much sooner. Thanks to ALL who have read, reviewed, favorited or followed the story - you keep this going, and all feedback, positive or negative, is greatly appreciated, but not mandatory. Just... thank you so much._**


	4. Parfum Palace

"Detective Looker, here, taking over narrative duties from Professor Sycamore, before he gets a restraining order. You may find all this rather amusing, dear reader - well, I think I heard one guy in the crowd give out an uncomfortable giggle - but let me assure you, megalomaniacal pyromaniacs are no laughing matter. And I consider myself a man with a keen sense of humor. After all, I enjoy jugglers and... clever wordplay. I laugh often, you see. I can prove that to you."

"Hhh... hhhahh... ghh..."

"Well, you all know what laughter sounds like. Just look at the further ghastly crimes made by Serena and her beastly accomplices as they enter..."

**Chapter Four: _Parfum Palace_**

_**Location: Camphrier Hotel, Camphrier Town, Kalos**_

A day after their trip in Lumiose City, Serena and Shauna got a room from the Camphrier Hotel from the quaint town of Camphrier. Located in the middle of the countryside southwest of Kalos, Camphrier was notable for Shabboneau Castle, the former home of ancient Kalosian nobility. Once it was abandoned and dilapidated during the Kalosian revolution, it was turned into a tourist attraction, sparking a friendly little town desperate for tourism revenue around it.

But as Serena and Shauna stepped into their room, someone was already there, sitting on one of the beds: a stylish man in a pink suit who smelled of cheap perfume. As Serena and Shauna entered, blankly staring at the man, he turned to look at them, stroking his thin mustache.

"Heee-eeey~!" he greeted.

"Get out," Serena deadpanned.

"How's it going, friend~?" the man asked. "I'm Mr. _Bonding_, the expert on _O-_Powers. Let me ask you-"

"No," Serena said. "Get out."

"B-but," Mr. Bonding stuttered. "O-Powers... I must tell you about them!"

"I already met you back in Lumiose, I don't want to see you anymore," Serena said. "But it looks like you're hard of hearing – meaning you have to learn something."

As Mr. Bonding ran out of the hotel room with his suit on fire, Serena and Shauna unpacked some of their belongings and headed over to the famous castle. Along the way, Serena tried to frighten Shauna with stories about how the aristocrats of the castle were decapitated and their heads still remain somewhere – but this only made Shauna excited and interested in seeing them.

Only about a ten minute walk away from the hotel, the Shabboneau Castle dominated the landscape around the northern part of the town. It was well-fortified three-story tall stone building with a wide moat surrounding it, the castle having partially crumbled all over the exterior. However, the only thing Serena and Shauna found inside were empty display cases and cruddy paintings. A Black Belt who apparently looked after the castle acted as an incredibly bored tour guide:

"...after which the castle was abandoned. The end," the guide finished his boring tale and held out his hand in anticipation.

"That's it?!" Shauna exclaimed in disbelief while Serena wanted to burn the guy's hand off. "What about the heads?"

"Shauna," Serena groaned, "that was just a joke-"

"Oh, I keep them in my room," the guide said. "At night, I imagine them being still alive and screaming at me. It's so soothing... anyway, we used to keep them in the entrance hall but too many kids got traumatized."

"Huh," Serena said.

"Well, can you tell us anything about Mega Evolution?" Shauna asked, having taken professor Sycamore's task to heart.

"...will you tip me if I do?"

"No!" Serena snapped. "This isn't Unova, and even if it was, what have you done to deserve any money?"

"Drat!" the guide cursed. "Well, worth a shot, and to be honest, I don't know anything about it anyway."

Serena was about to assault the man, but unfortunately, her thirst to engage in violent acts had to be quenched later, as another man suddenly dashed into the castle.

"Sir!" the man panted. "It's back!"

"Dang it!" the guide cursed yet again. "Pardon my French, but _Qu'est-ce que l'enfer_?! That lazy slob is here again! We'll head to Route 7 straight away!"

And with that, the two men were gone. Serena was pissed off at the lousy tour, but Shauna seemed interested in the happenings.

"What do you think that was about?" she asked Serena.

"Maybe some guy keeps passing out in the middle of the road once a month, who cares?" Serena grumbled. "Sycamore promised we'd get a clue on Mega Evolution here, but we haven't found _merde_!"

"Serena!" Shauna chastised.

"I'm not sorry," Serena said bluntly. "Besides, we need to find a way to make your Pokémon stronger. You didn't get into any battles on the way here!"

"Well, it's more fun watching you battle~"Shauna said cheerfully. "And occasionally scary. But mostly fun! I'm just here to make some good memories! Speaking of which, what did Calem want at the café yesterday?"

Serena sighed. "Maybe we should get to Route 7 and check things out. I'll tell you along the way."

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Café Soleil, Lumiose City, Kalos**_

_**Eighteen hours earlier...**_

With the combined powers of Fennekin, Fletchinder and Charmander, Serena had managed to overpower the endless swarm of clone construction workers and reach Coiffure Clips, where she had styled her long, dark hair a bit differently than usual, and cut it so it was only chin-length, while it used to go past her shoulders. Still, she didn't want to alter her look too much – letting all this beauty to go to waste would have been a crime far more severe than anything else Serena had done. She also traded her red felt hat to a cycling cap, hoping these minor alterations would be enough to ward off anyone shadowing while avoiding drawing attention from her friends.

_Not friends, minions_, Serena reminded herself.

Café Soleil was apparently a high-profile place, high enough for a famous actress to call it her favorite caffeinating hole. Calem was leaning against the wall near the door, most likely making people entering the café very uncomfortable, making a little obnoxious wave at Serena as he saw her approach. Serena had no idea what Calem wanted, but if there was one thing Overlords had to take care of, it was the well-being of their henchmen – even though a bunch of Jafars and Starscreams wouldn't be able to do squat once she was immortal, having loyal henchmen meant more time for Serena to relax in her future mansion. Which would be made of solid platinum. And a baker who would make her a cheesecake whenever she asked...

"Serena, you okay?" Calem asked when Serena was just staring quietly into space. "You're drooling..."

"I'm entitled to it," Serena countered, but wiped the drool off her face anyway. "What is it? If you want to buy me coffee, be my guest, but a coffee cup in here costs about as much as a surgical operation."

"Silly Serena," Calem said, "they're not selling you coffee – they're selling you the _experience_ of Café Soleil."

"Overcrowded with tables that are too small and cakes that are _way_ too small, in other words," Serena grumbled. "Then what is that you want?"

"Let's get inside first, shall we?" Calem said suavely and opened the door for Serena.

_Well, at least he's learning manners_.

Fortunately, as she stepped in, Serena noticed the café wasn't _too_ crowded at this time of day, though there were plenty of rich socialites around, along with a man with a hat, a thick beard and sunglasses snoozing in the corner and affluent tourists speaking in a language Serena couldn't understand. Serena wondered if she'd need international support in her quest for immortality, while Calem gasped, patted Serena on the shoulder and pointed at two people near the counter.

Serena recognized the man with bushy red hair and beard in the snazzy coat: Lysan-what's-his-face. He was talking with a woman wearing an extravagant and _fabulous, _almost angelic outfit. Calem seemed particularly interested in her. Serena had also seen her somewhere, but couldn't quite put her finger on

"That's Diantha," Calem whispered to Serena.

"...yes?"

"The actress! You may remember her from such films as '_Koffing and Me: Forbidden Love'_ and '_The Myth of __the__ Polite Kalosian_'."

"...um..."

"She's also the Kalos League Champion!"

Serena's eyes narrowed as she glared at Diantha. Come to think of it, she _did_ resemble a woman Serena had seen in countless posters and billboards around Kalos so far, but Serena rarely paid attention to humongous pictures of people who weren't her. If Diantha was the Champion, then she would be the one standing in her way once she took over.

And yes, the more Serena racked her brain, the more she remembered her mother talking about this woman and the occasional televised battle she was in. As much as Serena admired such a competent battler, she wouldn't hesitate to burn her down if she had to.

_But first I need to ask her where she got that suit_.

"You played a young girl so wonderfully on the silver screen," Lysandre whispered at Diantha, who listened to his ranting politely. "Wouldn't you rather remain young and beautiful... _FOREVER_... to play such roles?"

"What a strange question," Diantha remarked obliviously. "Why would I want to play the same roles forever? I mean, youth may be considered beautiful by some, but it's not all there is to life. Everything changes, so I want to live and change like that, too. I look forward to playing different roles when I'm older!"

"But... no," Lysandre said, eyes wide and unblinking as he stared at Diantha, who kept smiling politely. "As a movie star, it is your duty – DUTY, I TELL YOU – to stay beautiful... _forever_. If only I could make the world like that – unchanging and eternal. I can't stand the world becoming uglier..."

Serena and Calem had followed the exchange – the coffee shop was too crowded and tiny for them to get out of sight.

"Just don't make eye contact with that creep," Serena muttered to Calem, "and for the love of all that is decent in the world, don't draw attention to yours-"

"Hey, Diantha!" Calem shouted. "Can you sign my chest?!"

Serena imagined herself throttling Calem to fight the urge to do so in real life – because causing a scene in front of a famous movie star just wasn't cool. Noticing Calem's shouting and waving, Diantha and Lysandre approached the duo.

"Oh, hello Serena, Calem," Lysandre said.

"Hi, Mr. Lewsander!" Calem greeted.

Lysandre glared at him. "This is Diantha," he continued calmly, introducing the woman in white who shook hands with Serena and settled on smiling and nodding at Calem. "She's one of the most accomplished movie stars in Kalos."

Serena noted the gigantic signed poster of Diantha on the wall behind the café's counter.

"Thanks for telling me that," she deadpanned.

"She moves the multitudes with her excellent acting," Lysandre muttered. "Which is to say, she dedicates her life to making other people happy. Her performance in _Le Fabuleux Destin d'Carnet _simply _slayed_ the audience, while her cameo in the latest _Brycen-Man _movie became the pride of Kalos – her performance was so good. As good as _murder_."

"What?" Serena asked.

"Oh! If only everyone were like her – what a beautiful world this would be!" Lysandre continued to rant without noticing.

"Oh, don't be silly, Monsieur Leighsandre," Diantha said calmly. "If everyone was like me, then there would be no need for me, and I wouldn't get my paychecks!"

"I love you, Diantha," Calem said monotonously, staring at the actress with glazed eyes. "Seeing you in _Mon Nombril Rouge _changed my life!"

"Excuse me, but I must go," Lysandre said, and added with a whisper: "_To murder you all_."

"What?" Serena asked.

"...with quality products!" Lysandre finished quickly.

"...what?!"

But Lysandre was gone from the café in a blink of an eye. Neither Calem nor Diantha had apparently noticed a thing, as Diantha was signing a piece of paper Calem found from the back of his pocket after refusing to sign his nipple.

"Now, let's see, you two were..." Diantha started. "Serena," she pointed at Calem, "and Calem," she pointed at Serena. "Right?"

Calem let out a forced laugh. "Oh, Diantha, you're so witty, too. Are you working on a comedy now?"

"I'm actually playing the wife of a man who loses all his limbs to a rabid Arcanine."

"Oh, I guess not, then..."

"No, it's a comedy," Diantha said sincerely. "When I saw the script, I just couldn't say no. That was before I sobered up, but they promised me a percentage of the box office revenue, so I thought, why not? Anyway, you two have such lovely names. I'm guessing you're trainers, then?"

Serena glanced at the three Poké Balls attached to her bag. "What tipped you off?" she asked pensively.

"I'm a trainer, too, on my off time," Diantha said. "Maybe we'll battle some day."

"Yeah, I know you're a trainer, you're the Champion of Kalos!" Serena said.

"Oh, I don't want to make too much of a fuss about it," Diantha muttered.

Meanwhile, the giant screen outside the café showed an advertisement for Lumiose Galettes, with a big picture of a smiling Diantha holding one and a caption: '_Recommended by the Champion Diantha herself – eat one, and you, too, may be a Champion one day. Like her. Diantha. Champion_."

"Anyway, it was wonderful to meet you both," Diantha said serenely, curtsied and practically floated away.

"Well," Serena said to stop Calem from staring on after her. "Did you have anything of importance to tell me?"

"Hm?" Calem asked and glanced at the sleeping man with sunglasses. "Oh, yeah, sure. Say, I wonder what those two were doing in this café together. Something saucy, if you ask me – though saying that out loud makes me sad and kinda nauseous. Did you hear that offer to battle, too? You think one of us could get the honor of doing that one day? I mean, I hope you do."

"Yeah, I hope I do, too," Serena said wistfully.

"I guess Pokémon trainers battle each other no matter who they are," Calem said.

"Well this is all fun and all," Serena started. "Oh, who am I kidding, it's not, I'm hungry and people are staring at us – I don't think that guy in the corner is sleeping at all!"

"Um, they probably just admire us for speaking with Diantha!" Calem said quickly. "Anyway, what I wanted to ask you was..."

Calem glanced at the man in the corner again. Serena noted that suspiciously and got on her toes to see the man better – she could have sworn he had moved but quickly froze the moment Serena looked in his direction.

"Well?" Serena asked impatiently.

"Uh... any plans for the future?" Calem asked awkwardly. "Like, what you're going to do next, I mean. That world domination has to start somewhere!"

"Oh, _now _you're taking it seriously," Serena said and rolled her eyes. "I don't know, I'll look into Mega Evolution, I think – I mean, I'm good, but against people like Diantha, I'll need an edge."

"Uh huh," Calem nodded, confusing Serena – Calem usually wasn't much of a listener. "But, like, where are you going to _go_ to get this done? Specifically?"

Serena shrugged. "Camphrier Town, I suppose," she said. "Tierno and Trevor are probably heading elsewhere, but I think I'll take Shauna there, because I don't want that girl wandering off and getting distracted from the grand pla-"

Serena stopped talking and squinted at Calem, looking at him suspiciously.

"Why do you ask?" she said slowly.

"Oh, just wanting to chat up my favorite neighbor," Calem said and gave out a short, fake laughter. "I did have another question to ask you, too."

"Okay, what?"

"What if you and I compete and see who ends up stronger, huh?" Calem said nervously.

"Oh, that's amusing," Serena remarked. "You want a match right here? 'Cause I'll give you one, but we have to evacuate the cakes first-"

"No, no!" Calem flustered. "I mean, in general. Like, we could be rivals and stuff. Friendly rivals, perhaps, having a little battle every now and then, engaging in witty banter, me giving you a rose before leaving suavely. You finding little notes I scribbled on road signs for you. I mean, we are neighbors, after all, and we started our journeys at the same time."

Serena stared at Calem for a while, then burst into laughter that was so loud that even more people started staring. When Calem just looked at Serena in confusion, Serena laughed even harder, causing spit to fly on Calem's face, with Serena eventually doubling over from laughter. After some chortling and hiccuping, Serena wiped the tears from her eyes and slapped Calem on the shoulder.

"...rivals," she managed to say between giggles. "Good one, Calem!"

"No, I meant it," Calem said sincerely.

"Okay, the joke's getting old," Serena retorted. "What makes you think you could stand up against me? I've battled with Pokémon since you were still wetting the bed!"

"You've been battling for three years?" Calem asked. "Um, I mean," he covered up. "Yeah, well, laugh all you want, but may find me quite the tricky opponent when we have our _début_ match."

"Why not now?" Serena asked. "Come on, I gotta put this Charmander to the test!"

"Um..." Calem said awkwardly. "No thanks, I'm, uh, I have a bit of a cold, and one of my eyebrows is a bit sore..."

Serena snorted. "So I thought," she said harshly. "So is this all you wanted to say, or can I stop wasting my time here?"

"Um, yeah, I think that was all," Calem said, glancing at the man in the corner again. "We better go, you don't want to get in trouble with that Looker guy."

As Calem turned to walk away, Serena furrowed her brow at Calem briefly, but followed him out of the café anyway. Halfway through, however, she grabbed Calem by the wrist, muttered at him to wait and marched briskly to the man sitting in the corner wearing sunglasses. As Calem stared on, Serena removed his hat and sunglasses and exposed his face to everyone.

"Ah-ha, gotcha, you – whuh?!"

But beneath that hat and glasses was a wrinkly old drunken man whose nose was bright red and whose eyes were slightly crossed as he flinched and stared up at Serena in confusion. Equally confused, Serena tried to yank the man's beard off, but it only prompted a pained howl from the man.

"Oops," Serena said to him awkwardly. "Sorry, Mr. Drunk. Didn't mean to interrupt you."

"Hey," the drunken old man slurred. "You're the one from the PR video! I saw that! You're the future Queen of Kalos! I voted for you, _mademoiselle_! Twice!"

"Oh, well thanks," Serena said, ignoring the fact that everyone continued to stare at her disapprovingly. "Keep up the good work."

"Hail Trevor!" the drunk shouted confusingly and then went back to sleep as Serena and Calem left the café swiftly.

As the duo left, the waitress behind the desk shrugged and turned to talk to one of her workers.

"Hey, Gaston, did you get the latte to – _you're not Gaston!_"

The man dressed in a waiter uniform came out from hiding from behind the cappuccino machine, removing his wig and ridiculously exaggerated fake mustache and spitting out his fake cigarette.

"Gaston's having the night off, _madame_," said Looker as he took off his waiter uniform to reveal the trench coat underneath – needless to say, he smelled pretty bad. "And I heard everything I needed. You have my gratitude!"

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Route 7, Kalos**_

_**Present day**_

"Sounds like he was acting pretty weirdly," Shauna summarized Shauna's story.

"Yeah, but how is that any different from usual?" Serena pointed out.

Serena and Shauna quickly arrived at the scene where the Black Belt tour guide and his friend scratched their heads and pondered the situation. Indeed, a massive Pokémon was sleeping on the only bridge going across the river – a rather massive architectural design flaw, Serena thought. It effectively blocked the way completely, being too tall to climb over, not that it would be too smart to get too close to its mouth in case it would suddenly open. The river could be crossed by a water Pokémon, although Shauna's Squirtle would most likely just get swept by the current – Serena still wouldn't admit her type specialization was inconvenient.

"Fire forever!" Serena yelled.

"Could Fletchinder maybe carry us over?" Shauna suggested.

"It's two feet tall and weighs like thirty-five pounds," Serena said.

"Yeah, you're right," Shauna said and nodded sagely. "We don't have a right-size saddle for it."

"You two, you're Pokémon trainers, right?!" the guide yelled. "Do something to get this damn Snorlax out of here!"

"Ooh, so _that's_ a Snorlax!" Shauna said appreciatively. "It's _so _cute!"

Serena decided it was best not to give her thoughts on it. "What do you want _us_ to do about _that_?!" Serena snapped. "That thing could just eat my Pokémon whole before I got a chance to attack – assuming it would feel anything from my attacks, anyway!"

"Well, in that case, there's only one thing we can do," the guide said. "I own the Poké Flute that can wake it up while we keep a safe distance from it – but I borrowed it to the owner of the Parfum Palace."

"Ooh, I've heard of that place!" Shauna squeed. "You really get the feel that this is the place where the nobles of Kalos used to live."

"Okay, so why don't you run along and get it, then?" Serena asked the guide

The guide just stood still. "Yeah, the owner of Parfum Palace has the flute," he said again. "Good luck!"

"Why do _we _have to – argh, forget it, we'll go!" Serena groaned. "But when I rule over this region, you're the first on my list! Shauna, write me a list!"

"What?" Shauna asked. "Oh, are we going to Parfum Palace? Yay! We'll be right back!" she told the guide, grabbed Serena's hand and started dragging her. As annoyed as Serena was, something about Shauna's endless enthusiasm made Serena back down from her intent on yelling at her – for now.

Serena and Shauna then started walking towards Parfum Palace, Shauna excitedly giving a brief lecture on the history of it as the duo walked through a narrow, human-made trail between two rows of thick, tall trees, with grass as tall as an adult human growing on all sides behind the trees. Apparently the great palace was established as a hunting lodge for the king of Kalos, where he would spend his time off hunting for Bunnelby, running over peasants with his royal wagon and other regal pastimes. It was then expanded and became the base of the royal family's operations and their home. After the Kalosian revolution, the palace was one of the many castles in the area that was abandoned, but it was eventually claimed and restored by some wealthy businessman, and thus, the cycle continues.

And Shauna apparently listed all this from memory while Serena listened on in amazement.

A long while later, as the trail ended and Serena and Shauna got away from the thickets of trees, they were finally able to see the Parfum Palace in all its glory. Three stories tall and incredibly wide, it was surrounded by walls and closed from the people by a large, impeccably stylized golden gate that was partially modeled in the shape of Pokémon, though something Serena did not recognize, but thought looked familiar. In front of the gate opened a massive green field swarming with tourists, the grass of the field being perfectly trimmed and completely free of any litter.

But as Serena and Shauna stopped looking at the palace in awe and attempted to step in through the gate, fortune vomited on their laps once more.

"The entrance fee will be one thousand yens... poké-dollars... well, whatever currency we use here – per person," said the butler-looking man blocking the gate.

Shauna flipped out. "You've got to be kidding!" she yelled in a high-pitched voice that made the butler-character wince. "It costs _money_ to go inside?!"

"Yes, ahem, quite," the stuffy butler said. "You see, the owner of this palace follows the school of thought that you can never have enough money, ahem, quite, yes."

"Yeesh," Shauna said. "This is how the rich get richer!"

Serena glanced at Shauna appreciatively. "...surprisingly well observed," she said.

"Well I do sometimes worry about the disparity between the wealthy and the poor," Shauna said calmly. "I mean, we do have a system that promotes free trade that allows people like this palace's owner to do this and one could argue it has brought wealth and higher standards of living to more people than during the days when the royalty oppressed everyone else, but one can't deny that this system, which is constantly seeking new ways to get richer, has done a lot of harm, oiling its wheels through the blood of the workers and obtained work and resources by unfairly exploiting people from other places through force, not to mention the degradation that this greed has caused to our precious planet – yet many still continue to live in poverty despite the promises of this supposedly great system."

Serena stared at Shauna for a while, eyes wide and mouth slightly open, while Shauna just smiled and went through her purse.

"Here you go," she said cheerfully and gave the entrance fee of one thousand to the butler.

Serena did the same, while still glancing at Shauna.

"So all that was just what you were thinking?" Serena asked.

"Yeah~!" Shauna sang. "So, shall we go inside?"

"Thank you," the butler said dryly. "The proceeds from the entrance fee help pay for the repairing and restoring the palace..."

But as the butler opened the gate for Serena and Shauna, Serena could swear he added a cynical "probably" under his breath. Perhaps she should ask Shauna more about this, but for now, the important thing was to get the Poké Flute.

Inside, the palace was even more extravagant. Quiet, soothing music continued to play from speakers Serena didn't even see as she and Shauna stepped in through the front door and into the lavishly decorated entrance hall. Right at the entrance were four golden statues of Bisharp, steel-type Pokémon native to Unova that looked like they were wearing armor. Various old paintings hung on the walls, depicting mostly Pokémon and the beautiful scenery of Kalos, but the most noticeable thing was the solid gold statue of Milotic, an elegant, serpentine water-type Pokémon. A man wearing fancy clothes kept running around the place near the Milotic statue, wailing his problems out loud for everyone to hear:

"Oh, where is it?!" he wailed. "My precious Furfrou! It has disappeared!"

Hearing this made Shauna gasp dramatically and tug Serena's arm – again.

"Hey, Serena~!" she said excitedly. "We should help look! I mean, if my..." Shauna paused as if it was too terrible to think about. "If my Pokémon went missing, I'd be sick with worry."

Serena groaned. "How will this help me reign over these fools?" she complained.

Come to think of it, though, the palace _was _beautiful. For the longest time, she had been thinking about the best place to put her base of operations in, and searching for some Pokémon who probably just got tired of its owner's stupidity would give her the perfect chance to scope out the palace and find its owner.

"Yes," she said to herself. "There will be a big trench – and that trench will be filled with _fire_! And if I don't like someone, _bam_! Into the fiery pit they go! And I'll get rid of the greedy pig who runs this place and start a new Kalosian revolution! A new life, better for all, with everyone equal – and _me_ at the top!"

"What?" Shauna wondered when Serena's ranting got so loud that even the man who had lost his Furfrou noticed.

"Just fantasizing," Serena said quickly. "You're right, we _should_ help look!"

"You will?" asked the man by the Milotic statue, Serena and Shauna apparently unaware he could hear their loud conversation even though he was standing almost next to them. "Oh, thank you so much! If you find it, you can't miss it. My daughter Allie has, um, prettied it quite a bit."

"I'll probably regret asking this, but why aren't you looking for it yourself?" Serena asked.

The man just stared at Serena like she had just spoken to him in Bulgarian.

"M-myself?" the man repeated incredulously.

"Uh, yeah!"

"B-but..." the man stuttered. "That would involve walking. And crouching to look under things. And more _walking_! That's not acceptable for a man of my class."

"Yet you're okay making us do it?" Serena clarified.

"Yup!" the man said cheerfully. "Off you go then, chop chop!"

"Very well," Serena said through gritted teeth. "Shauna, put that man on the list," she muttered.

Serena and Shauna started walking around the palace, which was apparently converted into a museum and was crowded with tourists. More fine art was hung on the walls, and Shauna, who had grabbed a pamphlet by the entrance, kept enthusiastically reading about their history. Apparently she was very interested in pieces of art titled 'The Glorious Past' and 'The Brilliant Future', which were supposed to represent the king's admiration for his bloodline but also his tireless work to ensure his countrymen would get a good future.

Serena kept wondering where those paintings would look better – in her new bedroom or the dining room.

"Wow, check that out!" Shauna said as the duo passed a row solid gold armors. "They're dedicated to the knights who dedicated their lives to protecting this castle."

"Fascinating," Serena deadpanned.

"Kind of impractical to make it out of gold, don't you think?"

"Shauna, don't be silly! The real ones weren't gold!"

"No, they are, it says so right here," Shauna insisted and showed Serena the page that clarified it.

"Huh," Serena said. "Well I'll be. No wonder he was dethroned. I better make a note of that – not that anyone would want to oppose my awesome regime. What are all these Bisharp statues for? And don't tell me they encased them in gold as well."

"Okay, I won't tell you," Shauna chirped. "Apparently they're in honor of the Bisharp generals who led an army of Pawniard into battle during the war between Kalos and its neighbors three centuries ago. Not too long before the revolution."

"Hey, what do have here?" Serena said to herself and stopped Shauna as they passed another fancy door labeled 'master bedroom'.

Close to the door was another tourist who kept taking pictures of absolutely everything, even dirt on the floor. He also seemed to be terribly impressed by everything and kept talking to himself.

"Wow, man, check out these chairs!" he said enthusiastically. "They're _chair_-riffic! Hah hah!"

When the tourist suddenly started taking pictures of Serena and Shauna without asking, Serena opened Fennekin's Poké Ball and let the little Fox Pokémon out. A few seconds later, the tourist's camera was a pile of ash on the floor.

"Hey, wow, easy!" the tourist said annoyingly. "I only have five of those left!"

"I don't recall giving you permission to take pictures of us – and I'm tired of having to repeat myself," Serena growled at the man.

"Okay, okay, cool," the man cowered. "Oh, hey, you better not go to the king's bedroom! It's ir-_regal_! Bam, two in a row! Hah hah!"

"Do that one more time and they'll never find your body," Serena hissed and grabbed the hapless tourist by his collar. "Have you seen a Furfrou running around?"

"A really pretty one!" Shauna added, already used to Serena threatening strangers.

"Oh, yeah, totally!" the tourist said. "It ran upstairs – I think it was going to the library!"

Letting go of the incoherent man, Serena led Shauna and Fennekin up the stairs into another luxurious corridor filled with more artwork and other old luxury items on display that people had come from every edge of the world to see. The first door to the left was an entrance to the library, which contained three massive bookshelves jammed full of books. There were no tourists or other visitors around, just another butler-costumed man who stood as if he had a metal rod in his... pocket. Serena told Fennekin to be still in the corner as she chatted up the butler.

"Hey, _monsieur_ Alfred!" Serena told the stuffy guy. "You haven't seen a Furfrou running around here, have you?"

"An extra _pretty_ Furfrou!" Shauna added.

"Give it a rest already!"

"No, I'm afraid not," the butler said. "Now, please, one must exercise silence in the library."

"But there's no one here besides us-"

"Shh! Now, I'll be happy to answer any questions you'd like to ask about books – in a soft voice, that is. We have everything from prose to poetry, textbooks from the ancient languages to anatomy, some forbidden tomes..."

Serena's interest was peaked, and she had to resist the urge to raise an eyebrow at that.

"Oh?" she said as nonchalantly as she could. "What kind of forbidden tomes?"

"This is all just hearsay, _mademoiselle_," the butler said, "but I heard there was a forbidden tome that contained the secret of bringing Pokémon back to life."

_This is it_, Serena thought. _These forbidden texts hold the secret to my immortality. Oh, the euphoric feeling of the pieces of my plan falling into place. Soon everything else will become inconsequential as I rise above these puny humans and become supreme being in this universe and all the others._

"Holy crud on a graham cracker!" Serena exclaimed.

"Of course, we've got nothing of the sort in our library," the butler finished.

Serena wanted to strangle the man – slowly. But that would be counterproductive. Rest assured, he would end up on the list, though.

"Right," Serena muttered and breathed deep. Clearing her throat, she looked at the butler and innocently asked: "May we peruse through the selves a bit, Mr. Butler-Librarian-Man-Person?"

"Of course – this _is_ a library," the butler said. "But these books cannot leave this room – the penalty for trying to take them is _guillotine_!"

"Really?!" Shauna asked in shock and covered her mouth.

"Nah," the butler said. "Just joshing – this job gets really boring, you know. But you can't take these books away from here, that part was true."

"We'd do nothing of the sort," Serena said, flipped her hair back gracefully and pranced to the shelves. "Come now, Shauna – we should look for anything related to the topics of Mega Evolution or Xerneas. You take the shelf on that side, I'll take this one."

"Yippee~!" Shauna cheered.

And with that, started a massive process of checking a book's title, blurb on the back, table of contents and then throwing it on the floor when it didn't contain the right information. Shauna kept gleefully reading the book titles out loud – many of them were naughty puns that Shauna took a while to get, followed by her tossing the book into the air in embarrassment like it had a contagious disease.

"'_There once was a man from Kiloude_' – junk," Shauna listed and tossed the book away. "'_Trimming your Pyroar's bush_' – garbage. '_The Transforming Pokémon and the Mysterious Stone_' – not worth it."

"No, wait!" Serena yelled and quickly turned around when she heard that.

But Shauna grinned and pointed at her. "Hah, got you there! Here you go~"

Shauna tossed the rather hefty book in question to Serena. It had detailed descriptions and images of an incident that occurred in Shalour City – in the middle of a battle, the Pokémon suddenly changed its form. A human next to the Pokémon was holding a mysterious stone...

Serena motioned Shauna to come closer.

"I need to find a Xerneas-related book – and also sneak this one out," she whispered to her. "Don't worry, we'll bring it back!" she promised when Shauna gasped dramatically. "But we have no time to read it here – which is why I need you to distract that old man until I give the signal."

"Leave it to me~"Shauna said.

As Serena got to work, Shauna walked up to the librarian butler at the door – who kept staring in horror at Serena's assault against classic literature.

"Sorry," she told the man. "We'll clean up after we're done. Say, do you want to hear what I've learned during my stay in Camphrier Town?"

"No."

"Okay, see, this is what they used to do to captives during the revolution," Shauna explained excitedly. "They'd have a little cage full of Rattata, remove one wall and block the hole with the man they were torturing, then eventually start heating from the cage from every other end until-"

Serena kept combing through the books beginning with X, but all she found were books that really shouldn't have been in public display where children could get them. Nothing on Xerneas, however, so instead she moved to 'L' for 'legendary'.

Meanwhile, the butler had to cover his mouth and was looking quite greenish as Shauna continued to regale him with tales of the good old days.

"...and those are all the ingredients to the galettes we eat today," Shauna finished. "Bet you didn't know that~!"

"I think I'm gonna be sick," the butler muttered weakly.

"Well, feel free to go, I'll watch over the library for you," Shauna offered.

The butler shook his head. "I have sworn to never leave my post."

"Oh, you're like those guard-types from that region up north who can't laugh or smile or move," Shauna said. "Hey, did you know that during the war we had with their region-"

"Please stop," the butler whined.

"Oh, all right," Shauna sighed. "It feels exciting to be in a royal library like this. I mean, I do read, but mostly fiction."

"Is that so," the butler said nauseously to be polite and glanced at Serena.

Not wanting to fail her task, Shauna quickly walked in the butler's field of vision, hiding Serena from sight.

"Yeah, but I'm learning as I go, and I know especially know a lot about Pokémon. But...uh... I don't know much about geography."

Desperate to draw the butler's attention, Shauna started snapping her fingers and blurted out the song from memory the best she could.

"Don't know much of trigonometry~" Shauna sang. "Don't know much about algebra, don't know what a slide rule is for-"

"Wha - really?" the butler asked.

"Uh... but I _do_ know one and one is two-"

"Well, I should hope so-"

"-and if this one could be with you, what a wonderful world this would be~"

"Okay, you're seriously creeping me out, miss," the butler said. "And this is _after_ all those stories I'll be having nightmares about for the next week-"

"SIGNAL!" Serena yelled suddenly.

"What, that was it?!" Shauna said nervously. "But what do I do?"

"Improvise!" Serena said quickly while stuffing the two books in her bag as the butler looked on in confusion.

Shauna flailed around nervously for a while, then took a deep breath, preemptively asked the butler's forgiveness and poked him in the eyes with both of her fingers. With that, Serena, Shauna and Fennekin dashed from the library as fast as they could.

Running away from the wrath of the staff, Serena, Shauna and Fennekin ended up in the castle's courtyard. After they crossed a pond, they found themselves in a massive, extravagant garden opening as far as they could see, filled with fountains, hedge mazes and colossal statues. Right before them was a statue of a dragon Pokémon that Serena recognized from the old stories.

"I do feel bad for that guy," Shauna said for the fifth time now, wringing her hands nervously.

"When I get into power, he's among the first we'll thank for making this possible," Serena assured. "More importantly, we still need to find that stupid Furfrou."

"What's that thing, by the way?" Shauna asked and pointed at the dragon Pokémon statue.

"It represents Reshiram," Serena explained. "The Pokémon that helps those who seek to build a world of truth. It's from the legends of the Unova region – there's probably also a Zekrom statue nearby, too. Zekrom, the Pokémon of ideals, is pretty cool, too, but when you're up against Fire-type, you pretty much have a Vanillite's chance in Hades."

As the search continued, they were delighted to hear from another tourist that a Furfrou had indeed been spotted. Serena, Shauna and Fennekin spent fifteen minutes traveling around the hedge mazes, Shauna calling out for its name and Serena threatening it, but there were no results until they entered the maze on the back left.

"There it is!" Shauna squealed as she pointed at a canine Pokémon relaxing near the entrance of one of the hedge mazes.

Serena almost gagged at what she saw. Furfrou were known for their shaggy coats, but this one had been trimmed and prettied to the point of it being unrecognizable. Its ears, legs and waist were now completely devoid of fur, and what fur was left had been made all poofy, like a Flaaffy's coat. The fur around its paws was dyed pink for some reason, making it look like it wore pink legwarmers, and some fur at the tip of its tail was also dyed pink and trimmed in the shape of a heart.

Spotting Shauna, Serena and Fennekin, Furfrou stood up but didn't do anything, just looked at them curiously.

"All right," Serena said. "We'll need a subtle touch for this – and that's my expertise."

Serena cleared her throat, opened her mouth wide and...

"COME HERE, YOU MANGY MUTT!"

In response, Furfrou barked at her, though not angrily but more playfully, its heart-shaped tail wagging as it ran deeper into the maze. Fennekin growled at it, but stayed by her trainer's side.

"I think I know what to do!" Shauna said. "All paths in this maze lead to a dead end – if only we could chase it there somehow. I'm sure we'll complete this puzzle in no time~!"

Serena groaned at the word 'puzzle', but agreed. Unfortunately, Furfrou didn't act quite as Shauna predicted. What followed was several minutes of running around, falling down, Furfrou barking and running around in excitement, Fennekin barking back and Shauna misunderstanding Serena's instructions on where to stand. Finally, Serena had to stop to catch her breath, while Shauna kept patiently running after the Furfrou, not realizing the Pokémon had made her run in circles for five minutes now.

"This is getting really stupid!" Serena complained. "Your plan was _okay_, Shauna, but how about we do it _my_ way for now?"

"You're going to roast it and serve it with beans?" Shauna asked in horror and stopped chasing Furfrou.

"What do you take me for?" Serena gasped. "In fact, I kind of got this idea from you – just be ready at the entrance of the maze, okay?"

Shauna didn't quite understand, but headed towards the entrance, anyway. As Serena opened her remaining two Poké Balls and let some of her Pokémon out, she commanded Fennekin to wait in one part of the maze and Charmander in the other. Then, she asked Fletchinder to fly into the air and await her command.

As Serena snapped her fingers, all three Pokémon used Flamethrower at the same time, blowing the fire at the hedges. One by one, they were all set ablaze, eventually surrounding Furfrou in a literal ring of fire – and the situation was made even more uncomfortable for it by Serena singing 'Ring of Fire' and laughing maniacally. With only one layer of hedge separating Serena from Furfrou, Serena grabbed her trusty hairspray-and-lighter-flamethrower and used it to burn a hole into the hedge for Furfrou to get through.

As Serena had expected, the panicked Pokémon instantly ran away, dashing through between Serena's legs and towards the exit, where Shauna stood in wait, sweating over the sudden rise in temperature. Furfrou was too panicked to care about Shauna's presence, allowing Shauna to throw herself on the Furfrou and stop its advance, Serena quickly catching up and helping her detain the Pokémon.

The Furfrou calmed down quickly, though, and after the palace staff had extinguished the flames in the hedge maze, Serena and Shauna basked in the afterglow along with Serena's Pokémon and the Furfrou, who kept trying to lick Shauna's face as she held the Poodle Pokémon in her arms.

"Well that wasn't _quite_ how I would have done it," Shauna said after a long silence.

"But are you at all surprised that it's how _I_ did it?" Serena countered.

"Mm, not really. But the important thing, your plan worked. Amazing~! You really seem to understand how Pokémon feel, Serena!"

"Uh, I guess. You know, it's not that different from humans. Fire bad, run away."

Their conversation was interrupted when the man from the entrance, Furfrou's owner, huffed and puffed as he ran to them, flanked by half a dozen members of the palace's staff. Fortunately, the librarian butler wasn't among them – he really took his job seriously.

"My dear Furfrou!" he wailed and shoved Serena rudely aside as he grabbed the Furfrou from Shauna. "My beloved Furfrou! Ugh, what has Allie done to you? Clearly the Dandy Trim is what's in season right now! You two!"

Serena flinched when the man suddenly pointed at her, but his wide smile dissuaded her fears.

"Could you be responsible for my wonderfrou reunion-"

"Ugh," Serena groaned.

"-with my dear Furfrou?" the man finished, and Shauna nodded excitedly. "How wonderfrou indeed!" the man proclaimed, practically jumping up and down as he said it. "It's marvelous, simply marvelous!"

"Sir," one of the palace staff said meekly, "didn't you notice they practically burned down one of the hedge ma-"

"_Silence_!" the man shouted. "It's French for silence," he explained.

"Hang on," Serena said slowly. "Are _you_ the palace's owner?"

"Yes indeedy!"

"The man who rips off a thousand from every visitor?" Shauna asked.

"None other!"

"Where does all that money go?" Serena wondered.

"To provide the quintessential filling my wallet and bank account require, of course," the man said as if Serena was asking if water was wet. "And I'm in dire need, you see! My daughter has had the same car for almost _three_ years! And she's almost old enough to drive legally!"

Serena and Shauna sighed simultaneously.

"Now, a situation like this demands fireworks!" the man proclaimed. "We shall put on a show – boom, boom!"

"But sir-"

"I said _BOOM_!" the man yelled at a servant and hugged the Furfrou so tightly he almost suffocated it. "My Pokémon and I are reunited! Our bond has been proven! We'll commemorate this joyous occasion with a tremendous fireworks display! And, of course, it will also serve as a reward for the tiny bit of trouble you two went to."

"Couldn't you rather pay us in cash?" Serena asked hopefully. "Or castles? This one will do just fine, though the hedge maze will need some work. Or perhaps a flute of some kind..."

"_Rendezvous_ at the balcony!" the man yelled without even listening. "You know, that's French for rendezvous," he added before leaving with his entourage and the Furfrou, who looked over its owner's shoulder and at Serena and Shauna pleadingly.

"Sheesh," Shauna said, her tone surprisingly somber. "Maybe Furfrou would've been better off if we hadn't found it..."

"Yeah, if I were a Pokémon, I'd bite his head off," Serena said.

"But I really love fireworks~!" Shauna said, her cheer returned, "so let's make the best of it!"

With nothing else to do, Serena returned her Pokémon and joined Shauna as they headed up to the balcony on the palace's second floor, past the magnificent hall of mirrors. From there, they had a view of the vast garden in its entirety, surrounded by more fancy artwork, like Dratini statues sticking out of the balcony's railing, serving as fountains that sprayed water into the massive pond below.

It was already getting dark when Serena and Shauna settled on a spot and gazed at the night sky in anticipation. Well, Shauna was – Serena really wanted to go talk to the owner about getting the Poké Flute. Still, even with the lump of coal in her chest pumping the blood for her, she couldn't deny Shauna the pleasure of seeing the fireworks. Serena even cracked a smile when she saw Shauna's giddiness, and though she would never admit it, she enjoyed having a...

…a very competent and pleasant henchmen. Yes. Nothing more.

"Um..." Shauna said suddenly as the duo waited for the fireworks.

"What?" Serena asked bluntly.

"Well, it's just that, you know..." Shauna mumbled. "I... I really hope we get to be great friends, Serena."

Serena wondered what that was all about. _Well, duh – who wouldn't enjoy my presence! _That's what she wanted to say, at least. _Don't get ahead of yourself, minion Shauna! _Now _that_ was what she should have said.

_But... why can't I say it_?

Shauna sighed wistfully. "We haven't even seen them yet," she said, "but I know I'll never forget these fireworks! Because..."

Shauna turned to smile at Serena.

"'Cause I watched them with you, Serena."

Serena stared at Shauna. There was a lot of things she wanted to say to that. For one, her usual reaction would be to push Shauna off the balcony for talking mushy junk like that. But instead, she did the complete opposite. Being barely aware of herself, Serena smiled back at Shauna just as the first rocket exploded, sending showers of multicolored lights flying about, causing the garden to bathe in light. Together, the duo watched the fireworks light up the sky, exploding in every color and shape you could imagine.

A few minutes later, the fireworks display was over, and Serena let go of Shauna's hand.

"Wow!" Shauna said. "That. Was. AMAZING!"

Shauna yelled the last word out so loud it almost broke Serena's brain. _Maybe pushing her down is not _such _a bad idea._..

"I _never_ want to forget this, so I'll keep this memory I an album in my heart."

Before Serena could answer, the palace's owner and his personal valet soon appeared on the balcony. The mood was effectively broken as he hammed it up and talked so loudly that he would have most likely drown out even the sound of the fireworks.

"And _that_ was my wonderfrou fireworks show for my Furfrou!" he yelled.

"And us, right?" Shauna asked.

"Yes, I assume you're satisfied with that," the owner said. "After all, we're on a very tight budget here," he added and blew his nose on a thousand-pokédollar/yen/whatever bill.

"_**OH!**_" Shauna yelled out suddenly.

"Why are you people so _loud_?!" Serena complained, holding her ears. "My eardrums are probably a pile of dust by now..."

"But I almost forgot!" Shauna said.

"The Poké Flute," Serena deadpanned. "Like I said, I was going to-"

"Yeah, we need it to wake up Snorlax!" Shauna interrupted and turned to the owner.

For once, the owner didn't look overly sure of himself. Instead, he let out a weary sigh.

"The Poké Flute, huh..." he muttered awkwardly.

However, when Serena's stare alone almost made him combust, he quickly told his valet to go get it.

"It was Shabboneau Castle's treasure, but I took it as payment for a loan," the owner explained. "I mean, a man of the upper class, of such incredible wealth, just can't possibly get along with a serf like that."

_Yeah, screw this guy_.

Soon enough, the valet returned and handed the Poké Flute to Serena. After that was done, he and the owner quickly left the balcony, muttering something about a much-needed caviar and saffron bath. For the first time, Serena heard Shauna click her tongue and stare after them disapprovingly.

"As much as I want to make memories on my journey," she grumbled, "I think I'll try to forget about _him_."

With that, Serena and Shauna turned around to stare at the palace garden one last time. Ignoring the charred remains of the one hedge maze, the garden looked possibly even more beautiful in the light of the moon and all the lampposts around the courtyard. Serena hoped she would one day get to walk in this castle again – preferably with its current owner's head on a pike.

"Shauna," Serena said suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think I'll ever get to rule this region?"

"Of course! I think you can do anything you put your mind to, Serena – I've seen you in action, after all!"

"Thanks," Serena smiled. "You're a good f... a good fuhhh... a good fuh-huh..."

"You all right?"

Serena shook her head. _One day I'll say it. But for now..._

"I'm grateful that you're here, Shauna."

"Yay!"

* * *

**A/N: _Apologies for the delay, but Heroes of Kalos Abridged will return to its semi-regularly scheduled programming of wackiness from now on. Chapter 5 might be up on Sunday. Just please forgive me if it isn't. I give it good odds, though. Big thanks to RunningRapidash, Davin134 and Greninja in particular for their patience and sticking up with this, but really, anyone who read this, favorited, reviewed, followed or just read without making a fuss of it, thank you so much! Feel free to point out any errors I made, I really wanted to keep my promise and get this done._**

**_\- Zokolov_**


	5. Still No Second Badge?

"Hello there, trainers. Yes, it's me, St. Augustine, Professor Gimmemore, Professor Heartbreaker, _Sécuteur professionelle _and whatever other names you could think of. I just came back from my appointment at Coiffure Clips when I heard that this story had been narrated by someone who could never break the ratings scale of gorgeousness like I do. Oh, but it ain't easy looking as fabulous as I do, a lesson I had to learn harshly at the humble age of three."

"What? I was a very fashion-conscious child! Now, where were we... ah, _oui_, fireworks were in the air above Parfum Palace as Serena continued her journey in search for immortality and a source of strength beyond measure. Little did she know she had with sheer charisma like that, she'd make an enemy or two, and I'm not just talking about that Inspector Clouseau _imbécile_ who dared to assume he knew this story better than me. Without further ado... enjoy!"

**Chapter Five: **_**Still No Second Badge?**_

Since neither Serena and Shauna were in a hurry to help the people in Camphrier, the two decided to head straight to the hotel after the awkward little adventure at Parfum Palace.

The next morning, the duo finally headed back to Route 7, where the Shabboneau Castle's owner and the other guy still stood around scratching their heads and pontificating over the still-sleeping Snorlax blocking the bridge.

"How about we send it a polite yet firmly-worded letter?" Serena heard the other guy suggest as they arrived.

"Fear not!" Serena announced and held the Poké Flute in the air. "Your future Queen has solved your problems and is ready for your adoration!"

Delighted, the Shabboneau Castle's owner took the flute and played a lovely little tune with it. Slowly but surely, they saw Snolax stop its snoring, move a little, scratch its belly and eyes, then finally slowly getting up. Surely anyone woken up by such a nice melody would just politely move aside and go find its business elsewhere?

_Two minutes later_...

"It's gonna eat us all!"

"_Run for your lives_!"

"HEEEELP UUUUUS!"

Serena dodged as Snorlax tried to hit her. Instead, the ursine Pokémon got its claws stuck on the ground. Serena then commanded Fletchinder to do its thing and use Ember, but Snorlax seemed to hardly feel it. Nonetheless she stood firm in the face of terror as the two guys and all other passerby in the area ran away without looking back. Shauna was still hanging around, though she observed the battle from a safe distance.

"Whoo, go, Serena, go!" Shauna cheered. "Get that thing! Just imagine I'm holding pom-poms and chanting a catchy tune and you'll be motivated for sure!"

Fletchinder struck Snorlax again, but the massive bear Pokemon finally got its paw out of the ground and backhanded the flying-type away. Still, even when bruised and facing an enemy of that size, Fletchinder refused to give up, and acting on its own, tried to jab Snorlax with a Peck attack, only to be bounced back by Snorlax's unbreakable skin. Serena tried to throw a Poké Ball at Snorlax, but the normal-type only had to open its mouth and swallow the damn thing, apparently unaffected.

"_Two, four, six, eight, who will Serena fustigate_?" Shauna cheered. "Goooooooo, Serena!"

"Shauna, I could use some _real_ help here!" Serena groaned.

"Hm? Oh, right, sorry~! Go, Chespin!"

Serena rolled her eyes as Shauna sent out her little, cheery grass-type Pokémon. As if _that_ thing could lay a hand on Snorlax when even her Fletchinder failed.

"All right, Chespin!" Shauna encouraged. "Attack!"

"Fletchinder, retreat!" Serena ordered when Snorlax was about to grab the bird by its tail. She then turned to Shauna. "Some _real_ move this time, please!"

"On it!" Shauna said and opened her PokéDex, going through the list of moves her Chespin knew. "Let's try... Rollout!"

Serena didn't expect it to amount to anything – then had to eat her thoughts when she saw Chespin curl itself into a ball and propel itself towards Snorlax at a blistering speed. Managing to hit the Snorlax in the head, Chespin brought the normal-type down and on its back in one hit, then quickly scuttled back to Shauna in fear before Snorlax could get back on its feet.

"All right, nice one!" Serena praised and went through her bag. "Now I just have to... oh no."

"What's wrong, Ser?"

"Out of Poké Balls," Serena grumbled. "That thing probably _ate_ all of mine! Do you have any?"

Shauna shook her head. "Well... I do have this thing. I found it on the ground near the palace but it was _sooo_ dirty that I had to wash it at the hotel..."

Shauna showed it to Serena – it was a Poké Ball all right, but instead of the usual red and white color scheme, this ball had a black top and a white bottom, with yellow stripes around the top half. As the Snorlax slowly dragged itself back on its feet, Serena signaled at Shauna frantically.

"Yes, that's good!" she yelled. "Throw it!"

"Who, me? But I thought you-"

"Who cares?! Just throw it! "

Shauna shrugged and tossed the Ultra Ball at the Snorlax as hard as she could. Time seemed to slow down as Snorlax looked lazily down as the Ultra Ball hit it in its belly button, then had a confused look on its face as it was converted into red energy and sucked in.

The Ultra Ball closed and fell on the ground where it shook once.

Then a second time.

Then a third time.

"You better stay in there or I won't be held responsible for what I do, so help me the almighty Giratina!" Serena warned.

Snorlax's lazy side eventually triumphed, and the ball stopped shaking. The red glow on the big button in the middle also faded. Shauna could just stare at the Ultra Ball until Serena snapped her fingers under her nose.

"Well?" Serena said. "Don't you want it?"

Shauna walked slowly to the Poké Ball and picked it up, still unsure what to do with it.

"But... I can't have this," Shauna said quietly.

"Why not?"

"Well – you weakened it for me. You did most of the fighting. I just did what you told me to."

"Yeah, after your Chespin almost broke all of that Pokémon's chins!" Serena pointed out. "That was incredible! But I thought you don't battle with it much."

"Who knows?" Shauna pondered as she picked the Chespin up and hugged it. "We do spend a lot of time together. You know, solving puzzles, playing with huge balls of yarn, me dropping berries for it to catch, the usual."

"I wondered where you kept disappearing," Serena muttered. "But it looks like you're ready for a Pokémon of this size – it's all yours, Shauna."

"Oh, wow, thanks!" Shauna said, a huge smile spreading on her face. "I'm going to call you... _Ursula_!"

"Of course, remember that it's a Snorlax," Serena reminded, smirking as she said it. "It will need tons of food every day and will most likely be asleep for about 18 hours per day, so I wouldn't put my hopes up for extended playtime."

Shauna's smile faded and she looked a bit disappointed as Serena cackled maniacally for a few seconds.

"Ah, good times," Serena said after she finished her evil laughter. "Still, feed and treat it well and you'll have a loyal powerhouse of a Pokémon that will protect you from any harm you might run into on your travels."

"Ah, well that's sweet," Shauna said, "but why I would need Snorlax for that when you're with me, silly~!"

Serena raised her eyebrows at Shauna, whose smile faded yet again, this time completely as she stared at Serena in confusion.

"Come on, Ser, this isn't very funny," she said quietly.

"I know," Serena sighed. "Look, I know you're out on this journey to make lots of good memories. But where I'm going, there might not be a lot of those. I believe that we both have our own paths – we both have to get a lot stronger, on our own."

Shauna nodded. Serena could sense the disappointment practically flowing out of her, but as always, Shauna wasn't one to mull on these things.

"Okay~!" she chirped. "But promise me we'll meet up again soon!"

"In two weeks from now, we'll meet up in Lumiose City," Serena said firmly, thought about it for a while, and added: "If I'm alive and not in prison."

"Sure thing," Shauna said. "Wait, what?"

"Now I don't know where you're headed, but I'm going to Shalour City," Serena explained. "That book we _obtained_ from the palace described something called the 'Tower of Mastery' there, which is apparently home to a lot of legends and folktales. And I'm _dying_ to see what the fashion in Coastal Kalos is like, so I should – hey, what the heck?!"

Serena was surprised by a sudden assault by Shauna in which she wrapped her arms around Serena in what Serena initially believed to be a slow method of strangulation. It took her a while to realize Shauna was hugging her.

"Hey," Serena said firmly, "it kills me to have to say this, Shauna, but - _no touchy_, okay?! Or at least warn me first."

"Sorry," Shauna said as she let go. "But I'll miss ya! Promise me you'll write!"

"...where on Earth would I send the letters to?"

"Oh, right. Promise me you won't die!"

"Now that I can do!"

"And that you'll try not to burn down anyone's home!"

"...um, oh, look at the time, I gotta run!"

**~o~O~o~**

_**Meanwhile...**_

_**Location: Looker Bureau, shady side of Lumiose City, Kalos**_

Wearing civilian clothing and sitting with his legs tucked against his chest in a comfy recliner while munching on Kalosian candy, Looker's eyes were glued to the fifty surveillance monitors before him, all transmitting footage from several places around northern Kalos, mostly from Lumiose. An official sent by the local police department was ranting at Looker all the while, but he only half-listened to his harsh words as he stared at the monitors in some kind of trance.

"Unacceptable!" the official ranted. "You've exceeded your authority and the budget we've issued to you, Looker! If the public at large – not to mention the friggin' _mayor_ – find out about this, there will be riots on the streets!"

"But they won't," Looker said simply. "I was promised that I could do anything within my power to eradicate crime in Kalos. Besides, we should have done this sooner. This kind of thing is all the rage in Unova now – we're falling behind. Whatever means necessary. Now, _where are you_, you devilish thing...?"

Before the official could rant some more, Calem stepped into the office, striding in cockily like he was just visiting a friend's house, even sitting to an empty chair next to Looker.

"How's it hangin', Handsome?" he asked and put his hand up for Looker to give him a high-five.

Looker just kept staring at the monitors without moving. "Please do not disturb me, Gorgeous," he said, "I'm at work. It may be a thing you've heard of."

"You're allowing _civilians_ in?!" the official screeched. "What will stop _this_ guy from blabbering about this new '_security system_' you set up?"

"Uh, I'm not just some guy, I'm Calem," said Calem as if it was inherently obvious. "And I'll keep my mouth shut."

"If he talks, we'll deny everything," Looker said plainly without taking his eyes off the monitors. "Then we'll sue him for libel and use the media to discredit him."

"Uh... right, that works, too," Calem said uncertainly.

"Now, please, vacate the premises post-haste," Looker told the official bluntly. "I have a meeting scheduled."

Though clearly not finished with his ranting, one of Looker's assistants escorted the official out of the building – with a well-aimed toss. Glancing at Looker warily, Calem also stood up.

"Where are you going?" Looker asked him without looking away from the monitors.

"You said you were having a meeting," Calem said.

"With you, of course! Sit down."

"Oh, right, I knew that. I guess you'll be wanting the latest update from our favorite Unovan?"

"Are you sure she's Unovan?" Looker asked casually, much to Calem's confusion. "I mean, you wouldn't be too sure if you had access to her background like I do."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Calem wondered.

"Nothing. Report, please."

"Yesterday, they checked into a hotel in Camphrier Town," Calem reported. "This was preceded and followed by a larger-than-usual amount of burn victims in nearby Pokémon Centers. After that, they visited Parfum Palace and certainly left their mark. Though no crimes have been actually reported, one of the workers at the palace is trying to charge Ser with 'arson, theft of antique literature, ocular pokage and wanton sassing of social betters'."

"She stole a book?" Looker wondered. "A bit out-of-character, don't you think?"

"I don't know, she seems pretty well-read," Calem pointed out. "I mean, you've known her longer, and you've noticed how intelligent, sophisticated and fashionable she is... not to mention strong as heck."

Calem sighed wistfully and started staring into the distance. Looker glanced at him and cleared his throat.

"Um, right!" Calem continued. "Apparently they checked out of the hotel this morning, and that's the latest of it. Strange thing is, both the owner of the palace and the owner of the Shabboneau Castle have denied that worker's allegations and are actually _praising_ her for her actions. I'd say she either bribed them, but that's hardly her style and she'll want to save money for new clothes, so I guess it's more likely that she just threatened to torch them if they didn't-"

"She's traveling alone now," Looker interrupted rudely.

Calem stared at Looker. "You sure?"

"We have two rules here at the Looker Bureau," Looker said. "First: I'm never wrong. Second: if I'm wrong... back to the first rule."

Calem frowned at Looker, who just continued to stare at his monitors. Shrugging, he reached for a handful of Looker's candy and ate one.

"Rule number three," Looker said through gritted teeth as he slapped Calem's hand and snatched the remaining candy away from him. "No touching my sweets!"

"Sorry," Calem mumbled while chewing on the last remaining candy. "Do you want this back, too?" he asked, pointing at his mouth.

"I know she's traveling alone, because she's picking up the pace," Looker explained. "She took her sweet time to get to Camphrier, but stayed there for only one night and seems to be on the move again. And this came right after finding that book... she'll most likely end up in Ambrette Town next. You like her, don't you?"

Calem almost suffocated on his piece of candy. Looking at him callously, Looker rolled his eyes and slapped him on the back of a couple of times to dislodge the candy out of his throat.

"Wuh... what do you mean?" Calem wheezed. "I mean, unlike you, I have nothing personal against her, but, I mean, I'm totally committed to stopping whatever it is she's planning. And I'll do whatever it takes make her face justice – _after_ she's no longer useful to us. Yeah."

Looker smiled slightly. "Well, then you won't have any problem going to meet her in Ambrette, do you?"

"What? Oh, right. Uh, no, none whatsoever."

"Then go. Convince me that you'll be useful. I'll see you later, Gorgeous."

"Uh, yeah, about that code name of mine," Calem muttered as Looker turned back to the monitors. "Don't you think something a bit more hardcore would be better? Like, 'Paladin' or 'Panther'... or maybe 'Guerrilla'..."

"All right, you may have a point," Looker amended. "Now get to Ambrette Town, Darling."

"I hate you."

"I hate you...?"

"...Handsome."

**~o~O~o~**

As Serena crossed the bridge and walked along Rivière Walk, soaking in the fantastic riverside scenery, she noticed something in the distance – yet another castle. She knew that this was the heartland of the former Kalos aristocracy, but this was just getting ridiculous.

Getting close to the castle, past the Pokémon breeders and artists working on their canvases, Serena noticed a familiar face dancing in a field of yellow flowers near the castle, along with a Corphish and a Roselia. Well, more specifically, Tierno was dancing gracefully like a ballet dancer, while his Pokémon tried to feebly impersonate him.

"No, no, _no_!" Tierno yelled at the two Pokémon. "I said step-pause-step-step-pivot-step-pause, not step-step-pivot-pause-pivot-step-pause! Ohhh, _shudder_! We'll take five, you guys. Corphish, you really should know this one, we've been practicing it for a week!"

While his Pokémon collapsed, Tierno took no time to rest, just took a quick sip of his water bottle and then looked over the moves he had designed from a cheat sheet. As Serena approached, Tierno looked up from his paper, spotted Serena and grinned widely, waving at her.

"Howdy, Ser!" Tierno said cheerfully. "Did you see my awesome moves?"

"They need work," Serena commented. "But keep it up and you'll be my personal jester when my plan comes through."

"Oh, you're still on about that..."

"Where's Trevor, by the way?" Serena asked.

Tierno looked offended. "You think we're conjoined at the hip?" he asked. "We have our own lives, you know."

"But he's here with you now, right?"

"...yes," Tierno admitted. "He went in there."

Tierno pointed at the fabulous castle that, now that Serena looked closer, was so wide that it was practically standing _in_ the river, little canals allowing the water to pour through the castle's foundation. With towers in every corner and colorful flags hanging over the entrance, the castle was almost as fancy as Parfum Palace.

_Shauna can live here_, Serena thought.

"What is it?" Serena asked.

"They call it the Battle Chateau," Tierno said, saying the last word all fancy-like. "They have this weird ranking system which you can climb up if you win enough battles, but they're real snobs about it and they're not easy on those strapped for cash, so..." Tierno checked his watch. "3... 2... 1... now!"

At the exact moment Tierno finished counting down, the Battle Chateau's doors were opened and Trevor was thrown out by well-dressed security, his little body landing roughly on the sand by the road. Tierno went over to help him, but Trevor slapped his hand away angrily and shook his fist at the Battle Chateau.

"I won't forget this!" he shouted. "You'll rue the day you crossed the great and powerful _Trrrrrrevor_!"

"Great and powerful?" Serena commented. "Since when? Oh, and are you okay?"

Trevor glared at Serena. "The Unovan," he muttered. "Your pity is but the flickering of a Volbeat's lamp in my ears. You may act tough, but I could crush you like a malnourished amoeba if I wanted to, just watch me. Oh, how I pray for the day when-"

"Trevor, you're ranting again!" Tieno scolded. "Did you do those breathing exercises I talked to you about?"

"Well, at least you're out here _trying_ to get stronger," Serena sighed. "Look, guys, you both want something, right? Tierno wants to assemble the world's greatest dance team, right? And you, Trevor, want... um..."

"To fill the pages of the PokéDex," Trevor muttered. "To fill my head with information, including the knowledge that will help me destroy all those who dare oppose me, you included, you arrogant-"

"Yeah, great," Serena interrupted. "But you both want people to stop pushing you around, no? Like those posh kids, remember? The ones whose skins I almost burned off?"

Serena stopped to chuckle at her own memory for a moment as Tierno and Trevor stared.

"Ah, good times," she sighed. "Anyway, if you continue to do my bidding – I mean, be my bestest pals, I will make sure that whoever attacks you from now on is not getting back up again. I want _you_ to skidaddle to the north, maybe to Lumiose City again, train your Pokémon, and spread the message of the glory of Serena – you know, me."

Tierno and Trevor glanced at each other. Tierno looked skeptical while Trevor contemplated. Finally, Tierno shrugged.

"Having someone like you watch my back would be cool," Tierno admitted. "Do you agree, Trevs?"

"I-"

"Yeah, I thought you would," Tierno smiled. "We'll do it!"

"...I was actually going to agree this time," Trevor grumbled.

"So what are you gonna do, Ser?"

"_I_ will get revenge for poor Trevor and show the snobs in this castle who's the one _true_ royalty here," Serena bragged.

"Fool," Trevor hissed. "Their system is based on expensive 'writs', and those who can't keep up with the prices or who lose and can't pay the penalties are thrown out without mercy."

"I won't lose, though," Serena said confidently. "I mean, you've met me, right? I'll see you in Lumiose within two weeks. Hopefully the power will be restored and those teleporting construction workers are gone so I can buy you all a meal at the Sushi High Roller!"

"See you there!" Tierno said, waved at Serena cheerfully and left, dragging the grumbling Trevor with him.

As soon as Serena entered the Battle Chateau through the wooden double doors, she was blinded by the flashing of a camera. She decided at that moment that she would never step on stage to give out statements to the press, letting some flunky do it for her. But though she assumed she was being hounded by an army of paparazzi, it was all done by a familiar, photography-obsessed gym leader who kept scurrying around her, getting pictures of every angle imaginable.

"Brilliant," Viola muttered to herself. "That's it, dear, show me what you've got, oh, excellent! Come on, give me a little something!"

"Viola," Serena deadpanned. "I warned you about this before."

"Ooh, just like that! Yes, that's it, get angry! Unleash the beast within! Show me how rough you can be! Yes, good, keep it up-"

What happened next happened far too fast for the average human eye to catch, but a nanosecond later, Viola's camera seemed to explode from within. Even with ash blown on her clothes, Viola remained as cheerful – and as psychotic – as ever.

"You're so feisty!" Viola grinned. "You should model for me sometime – I'd make you a star!"

"Well, you can't be blamed for being amazed by my beauty," Serena said, "but you take pictures of bugs. _Bugs_. Why are you here?"

"You don't know?" Viola wondered. "I'm a Marchioness! What about you?"

"Huhwhanow?"

"Ooh, so you've been left out of the loop. Don't worry, I'll explain it in a _flash_!"

"Do you have to do that?"

"Hey, why so _negative_?"

"Can I talk to a normal person?"

"Lady Viola, weren't you about to leave?" an obnoxious-sounding old rich man in a white suit said as he approached the two. "We were all getting our hopes up - oh, what is this? A new member for our nobility?"

"Yeah, Serena here was just about to join!" Viola announced before Serena could say anything. "It only took a Kodak moment as I illuminated her about this place, and once she was able to see through my lens, things weren't so blurry for her anymore! I totally vouch for her!"

"Oh, well in that case," the old guy said approvingly as he looked up and down at Serena. "I will explain things to her – you can leave now."

"I'll shoot by again soon!" Viola called, waved and zipped out.

"Why are the best battlers always crazy?" the old man lamented. "Now, then, Lady Serena - you shall be henceforth be known here as Baroness Serena!"

"Cool," Serena said. "Wait – huh?"

"Right. This is a place where ladies, gentlemen and non-binaries of good standing and plump wallets gather to battle and spread and associate with others of the sort. We're an exclusive social club here, one that only few know about."

"Yeah, you were super-easy to miss," Serena muttered.

"There is a ranking system here. Those who succeed in the art of battle – or who slip me a little something-something with a lot of zeroes in it – rise up in the ranks and are awarded more prodigious titles."

"Sweet – and I'm a Baroness already?"

"It's the lowest rank here."

"What?!" Serena gasped dramatically. "_Excusez-moi_, but haven't you heard of me? Surely you must have seen my PR video by now. Serena, the Queen of All Creation? Put me up at least two or three ranks, will ya, Jeeves?"

"My name is Hercule!" the old man scoffed. "And no, everyone goes through the same process."

The old man finished his speech by holding out his hand expectantly. Serena went through her bag until she found a nice big handful of lint that she dropped on the man's hand. Hercule wasn't pleased.

"Don't spend all that at once," Serena warned.

And with that, she got to work. As a Baroness, she was only 'allowed' to battle other Baronesses and Barons, essentially rich, young wimps who had just left their homes and whose strategies involved throwing money at their Pokémon to make them do their bidding. With a team of consisting of Fennekin, Fletchinder and Charmander, she steamrolled through them easily.

As yet another Baroness, this one with an inexplicable cockney accent, fell before Serena's mighty Charmander, Serena was beginning to feel this trip had been a waste – sure, getting a fancy title was nice, but no one in the facility had even made her work up a sweat yet. With everyone in the first floor defeated, Serena made her way to the second one.

That was when she spotted a young woman, either a maid working at the Chateau or just someone who liked to wear maid clothing. While the other trainers had approached Serena with cool confidence (and left crying and dropping big wads of cash as they lost), this person glanced at Serena, then shyly retreated into a nearby room. Her curiosity piqued, Serena walked over to the room and knocked on the door.

"Hell-loo~?" she said softly as she knocked. "Sorry to bother you, but are you here to battle or do you work here? Or maybe both?"

No one replied, but the door was opened from the inside. The maid curtsied at Serena and motioned her to step in.

"Huh," Serena said as she obliged. "I guess that means you'll battle. Maybe _you'll_ last longer than three minutes. My name is Serena. What's yours?"

The maid didn't respond, or even open their eyes, yet had no problem walking around the room in what were apparently really heavy shoes, based on the thumping noise she made. She instead just took out a Poké Ball and showed it to Serena – Serena spotted the name 'Camille' engraved on it.

"Oh, well, nice to meet you, Camille," Serena said. "I mean, it's cool if you don't want to talk – or can't talk – the only thing that matters is that we battle. That okay with you?"

The maid nodded. To Serena's surprise, she also spoke up, though there was something off and a bit monotonous to her voice:

"_**I_was_created_solely_to_do_battle!**_"

"Oh..." Serena said slowly. "...kay. Well, surely there's a world for opportunities there for you and you don't have to _just_ battle – but if that's what you choose, then I respect it."

_Perhaps she has just lost her voice_, Serena thought. _And needs that to communicate. Either way, it's none of my business. I tell ya, when I'm in charge, there will be no patience for judgmental jackasses. _

"One Pokémon, then?" Serena asked.

"_**AFFIRMATIVE**_."

"Go, Charmander!" Serena yelled.

The lizard Pokémon had been on the biggest role of its time with Serena thus far, so the choice was obvious. Camille wasn't fond of showing off, it seemed, as she just simply let her Poké Ball drop, sending out a Pokémon Serena was sure would be something massive, powerful and downright beastly.

It turned out to be a Bidoof.

A tiny rodent Pokémon with stubby little legs, tiny button eyes and humongous teeth. Who blinked and gazed innocently as Serena's Charmander, who exposed her claws and hissed at her opponent, ready to throw down. The Bidoof also seemed to have some kind of device attached to its ear.

_A hearing aid, I guess_, Serena thought. _Pretty clever, which is more than I can say for her choice of Pokémon..._

"Charmander, Ember!" Serena commanded.

But Camille only had to make a gesture, and Bidoof understood without even looking. As Charmander opened its mouth wide and fired tiny bolts of fire at Bidoof, the normal-type responded by curling into a ball and spinning rapidly, blowing the ember away harmlessly.

"Very nice," Serena praised. "Charmander, Scratch!"

Camille made another weird gesture, making it impossible for Serena to predict what was going to happen. As Charmander charged at the Bidoof with her claws out, the Bidoof, still curled into a tight little ball, started spinning towards her, hitting Charmander in the face. Before the fire-type could return the favor, Bidoof was already spinning away, about to make a one-eighty and hit Charmander again.

"It's coming back!" Serena warned the still-dazed Charmander. "Flamethrower!"

But Charmander's attack missed, and Bidoof's Rollout hit Charmander again, this time in the stomach. Charmander looked like she could pass out at any moment and had trouble standing – she wouldn't be able to take any more hits...

That's when Serena got an idea.

"Smokescreen!" she commanded.

Instead of fire, Charmander blasted Bidoof with a thick stream of smoke. Its vision blocked, Bidoof stumbled and hit the floor instead, getting its humongous teeth stuck in the parquet floor.

"Now's our chance!" Serena yelled. "Blast it with a Dragon Rage!"

Charmander spread her short arms wide, opened her mouth as big as she could and formed a beach ball -sized orb of orange fire in it, the flames at the tip of her tail burning bigger than ever before. Just as Bidoof pulled its teeth out of the floor, Charmander fired her attack, the fiery inferno blasting the Bidoof away and knocking it out.

"You did it!" Serena cheered as she rushed over to hug her Pokémon – hugging fire-types was the greatest feeling.

Charmander grunted something, pointing at Serena's skirt. Apparently Serena had brushed by Charmander's tail and now the hem of her skirt was slightly on fire.

"I got this," Serena assured. "You, fire!" she yelled. "Don't make me come down there!"

And with that, the fire put itself out, leaving her skirt slightly singed. Serena sighed.

"It was my best one, too," Serena grumbled. "But it's not your fault, though," she told Charmander. "If anything, now I have a reason to buy a new one – or two. Excellent battle, Charmander!"

Charmander beamed under the praise – then looked confused as it started glowing. Serena's eyes widened and an insane grin appeared on her face as Charmander started growing in height until it was almost double the size as it was before. A horn-like protrusion grew out of the back of its head while its claws, teeth and the flame at the tip of its tail all grew bigger.

"You're a Charmeleon!" Serena congratulated her new Pokémon as the glowing finally stopped. "Awesome! We're one step closer to Mega Evolution! Now take a rest – you've earned it."

Serena returned Charmeleon to its Poké Ball while Camille did the same to her Bidoof. The maid's expression hadn't changed at all.

"So, uh, good battle," Serena told her.

When Camille just smiled politely and stared forward, Serena couldn't help but to wonder what was going on inside her head.

**~o~O~o~**

_**MISSION FAILED – ABORT! ABORT!**_

_COMMENCING POKÈMON WITHDRAWAL PROTOCOL._

_AWAITING PARAMETERS... 70 %... 90 %... 83 %... 12% … 98%... 100%!_

_NEW MISSION PARAMETERS RECEIVED. MASTER CLEMONT'S ORDERS: **CAPTURE POWERFUL POKÈMON. ERADICATE RESISTANCE.**_

_SCANNING POKÈMON... SCAN COMPLETE. POKÈMON #005: CHARMELEON. TYPE: FIRE. STATISTICAL AVERAGE: OVER 400. _

_PRIORITY: CHARMELEON_

_**INITIATING CAPTURE MODE.**_

**~o~O~o~**

"Well, so, anyway," Serena said awkwardly. "You fight with the strength of many trainers, Lady Camille. You could join my awesome group of radicals who will change this region, and perhaps one day, this entire world into a better place – with me as your ruler, of course. Speaking of which, you haven't heard of any new ways to achieve immortality, have you?"

"_**All_your_Pokémon_shall_belong_to_us**_," Camille said monotonously and pointed at Serena.

"Hold on a second," Serena pondered. "You're not really a-"

But Serena's sentence was interrupted when she felt her bag being pulled away from her. She managed to grab it just in time as it was about to fly towards Camille's extended arm.

_Magnets_, Serena cursed to herself, _how do they operate?_

"All right, this has gone far enough!" Serena yelled at Camille, holding her bag against her as well as she could. "I'm leaving!"

Serena stormed out of the room and slammed the door shut behind her, relieved when she heard a satisfying click, meaning that the door was locked. But Serena could only catch her breath for a second before Camille's fist broke through the door in one hit. Serena stared in utter bewilderment as Camille turned the door into splinters within seconds, then started to slowly approach her, smiling politely all the while.

"Huh," Serena deadpanned. "Well, I don't know how many trainers you've relieved of their Pokémon so far, but crossing me was the biggest mistake you did in your life, _Camille_ – if that's even your real name."

Serena grabbed her hairspray can and lighter from her bag and aimed at Camille, smiling in anticipation, seeing the beautiful flames that would ensue in her mind's eye.

"But you just made a controversial statement," Serena threatened, "and our conversation's about to get heated."

Camille just tilted her head in confusion.

"Well it's the best I could think of at the... _shut up_!" Serena snapped. "AND DIE!"

Serena laughed insanely as she clicked the lighter and let it rip with the hairspray, getting in real close to hit Camille straight in the face – it burned real nicely.

But something was wrong. Camille seemed unaffected by the fire and didn't move a muscle – in fact, she _had_ no muscles, bones or any other basic human components, for that matter. As the fire melted the "skin" in her face, it only revealed circuits and wires underneath, and Camille continued to approach Serena, the fire having damaged her speech and making it much more lower and garbled:

"_**Temperature_spike_detected. Initiating_cooldown**_. _**Commencing_self_defense_protocol.**_"

"And _that's_ my cue to leave," Serena said and threw her hairspray can at Camille, only causing the bottle to harmlessly bounce off her head.

Serena ran through the empty corridors of the Battle Chateau's second floor as Camille continued to chase her, making a loud thumping noise every time her heavy metal feet hit the floor. Though half of her face had melted, the other half of the Camille-bot's face still continued to smile pleasantly, unsettling Serena even more. Serena went through her bags, wondering what Pokémon to use, but fire didn't seem to hurt it at all – and that's all Serena had at the moment.

Reaching a corner, Serena rushed behind it, frantically searching for a place to hide as a door along the hall was suddenly opened and a hand motioned her to come in. This was no time to think, so Serena ran into the room as the door was shut tight behind her.

"Thanks," Serena panted. "I mean, I could have taken her on my own any other day, but I did eat a heavier breakfast this morning, so..."

Serena stared at her rescuer in shock. She was a young woman with large amounts of stylishly arranged dark purple hair, slightly shorter than Serena, wearing the most extravagant dress Serena had ever seen. Not only did it seem far too big for her with its gigantic sleeves, it also had a very frilly hemline and included a huge ribbon at the waist. But dang if it isn't wasn't the coolest dress Serena had ever seen. She completed the look with a golden tiara and nice white sandals.

Weirdest thing about this, Serena knew exactly who she was.

"Hi there," the woman said to the flabbergasted Serena cheerfully, her demeanor quite different from what Serena had expected. "Name's Iris. And I see you, too, noticed something unusual with Lady Camille."

"Y-yeah, I know who you are," Serena stuttered. "You're the Unova League Champion!"

Iris just smiled and glanced at the door – Camille was still outside, circling the area in search of Serena.

"What say we destroy that killer robot thing?" Iris asked.

"I... have nothing against that," Serena muttered.

Before Serena could ask how, yet another door was reduced to match sticks as the Camille-bot busted her way in, a massive red camera lens spinning around in the exposed metal part of her face where her eye should be. Iris reacted immediately by sending out her own Pokémon: a Haxorus, a bipedal, green-yellow dragon-type that stood over six feet tall and had two razor-sharp scythe-like tusks sticking out of the sides of its mouth that were larger than its head.

Haxorus didn't need to be told what to do – Iris just snapped her fingers and Haxorus charged at the Camille-bot, smashing her against the wall with a whack of its tail. However, even Haxorus' strength was only enough to stall the robot, not stop it completely.

Not wanting to play second fiddle, Serena let Fennekin and Fletchinder out of their Poké Balls – but couldn't attack with Haxorus in the way.

"Do you have any kind of plan?" Serena asked Iris.

"No," Iris responded while keeping her eyes on Haxorus and Camille – Serena could almost hear her thinking quickly. "I'm working on one, though. This is pretty exciting, though, isn't it? I've never seen a real, working robot before!"

"It's trying to kill us!"

"No need to worry!" Iris assured. "Still, I'd love to meet whoever built it. They must be pretty smart."

"And insane."

"Well, yeah. So do _you_ have a plan?"

Serena looked at the ceiling and smiled. "As a matter of fact, I do!"

Iris looked on as Serena commanded Fennekin and Fletchinder to burn down the room they were just in. She eventually understood what was up as smoke filled the room and floated up into the sensors in the ceiling.

Soon afterward, fire sprinklers were activated all over the Chateau, putting out the flames. Serena quickly recalled Fennekin and Flethchinder before they were soaked, while Haxorus and Camille continued their battle, Camille eventually beginning to overpower Haxorus.

"Its skin... or whatever that is, must still be protecting it," Serena theorized. "Iris, can you tell Haxorus to-"

But instead Iris pulled something from the confines of her giant waist ribbon: a long, nasty-looking dagger. The cheery Champion instantly turned into a screaming ball of death as she charged at the Camille-bot, screaming all the while. Just as Camille managed to pin Haxorus to the wall, Iris sank her dagger into the robot's back, exposing the cords and circuits inside without the robot even noticing until it was too late, and Iris backed down as quickly as she had charged.

Serena stared at Iris. "How...?"

"You have to be ready for everything when you're Champion, you know," Iris replied cheerfully as she put the dagger back. "Let's see how it likes this..."

With water from the sprinklers pouring into the robot's inner machinery, its movements became increasingly slower and jerkier, allowing Haxorus to hit Camille with its claws and break free from the bot's steel grip.

"_**E**_**R**_**rroOooO**_**r**," Camille informed, her speech becoming increasingly garbled and varying in pitch. "_**Power_failure_de****TE****cted. Switching_to_b****AC****kup_syst****E****m**_. _**Youuuu... have_no_chance_to_survive_make_your_time**_!"

"It still hasn't shut down!" Serena groaned.

"That was a good plan," Iris praised. "It might have saved Haxorus' skin, too. But I think whoever built that robot made sure a little rainfall wouldn't break it down."

"How I _hate_ that hypothetical person!" Serena cursed.

"Yeah... but I think I have an idea."

Iris switched into explanation mode, almost seeming to forget the giant bipedal dragon wrestling with the killer robot on the background as she spoke to Serena, eyes bright and hands moving about wildly.

"Okay, so the way that thing operates is like a computer, right?" Iris explained while Serena just nodded without thinking. "That means it must have one or more central processing units and a limited amount of memory. You burning it and the little electrical problems we gave it probably already fried a few of the systems and the processors are running hot, so all we have to do is to give that thing so many tasks that it will be forced to shut itself, or at least some of its key processes, down. You got it?"

"We all attack at the same time and overload its brain with stuff, right?" Serena asked.

"Pretty much," Iris nodded. "But we have to attack without hesitation. Even though she looks like a human, you must absolutely not hold-"

Serena grabbed a broken piece of wood with sharp edges, screamed like an insane person and charged at the Camille-bot, jamming the wooden block into the hole Iris made with her dagger. Camille noticed this and tried to hit Serena, but Serena moved nimbly out of its way, ducked under the robot's arm and circled behind it.

"Okay then," Iris muttered, grabbed her dagger and followed Serena's example, sinking the dagger into the robot's neck, forcing it to stop trying to attack Serena.

Camille turned to Iris, but Serena was ready for it. She kicked the robot in the legs as hard as she could, successfully making it stagger and struggle to keep its balance.

"_**Spike_in_core_temperature_detected**_," Camille complained. **"**_**Initiating_ **_"

"Now, Haxorus!" Iris ordered. "Dragon Claw!"

Letting out a huge roar as it charged, Haxorus' claws glowed light blue as it slashed the Camille-bot. The robot's head was turning jerkily in every direction, attempting to prioritize the threat. Eventually, the robot went limp, letting its arms drop, though it stayed upright.

"_**A_fatal_error_has_occurred**_," Camille whined. "_**Rebooting...**_"

"Oh no you don't!" Iris yelled. "Haxorus, Dragon Tail!"

This time, Haxorus' tail glowed light green as it swung it like a baseball bat, knocking the Camille-bot into the air and through the window, sending it crashing down into the ground below. For a few seconds, Serena and Iris waited tensely for the robot to come back. When it didn't, they finally erupted into cheers and high-fived, Iris doing the same with her Haxorus as well.

After Iris had offered the Chateau's staff an explanation and a sincere apology, some of the workers rushed outside to see the killer robot in the flesh – or whatever it had as a substitute. Serena had no desire to see that thing ever again, though she did have some choice words to offer to whoever had built it. Well, not so much 'words' as lots of fire and possibly the occasional explosive. Serena retreated into a more quiet corner of the Chateau to thank all her Pokémon, especially Charmeleon, whose evolution would put Serena one step closer to her dream.

While Serena was feeding her Pokémon, Iris approached her. Serena felt a pang of guilt in her stomach seeing her beautiful dress all soaked and covered in stains and ash. Iris herself seemed as happy as always, though.

"Thank you so much for your help, miss!" she told Serena. "I had a chat with Monsieur Hercule and the rest of the staff and managed to convince them that your battle success and practically saving this castle from that thing put you up a couple of notches. You are now a Countess - congratulations!"

"Thanks!" Serena said. "I used to live in Unova, you know. I saw you beat Alder and getting crowned as the new Champion on TV! You didn't look nearly this glamorous back then, though."

"Oh, pshaw!"

"And you're so strong, too - what are you doing all the way out here, anyway?"

"I came to Kalos about a week ago – originally just for an official visit, but I think I can have a little vacation while I'm at it. I haven't had a moment's peace after I became Champion. And this place is so cool! So much history, such beautiful scenery, _amazing_ food... oh, I'm being so rude! We went through all that and I still don't even know your name!"

"I'm-"

Serena paused and frowned at Iris. She arrived here a week ago – from Unova. _Same time and same place as..._ _well, darn_.

"Yvonne," Serena said quickly before Iris got suspicious. "Just your average Pokémon Trainer trying to start a life in Kalos."

"I wouldn't you call you 'average'," Iris said. "From what I hear, 'that new girl' utterly glassed most of the Barons and Baronesses here, and I saw you fight first-hand. You really seem to have a thing for fire-types."

"Oh, yeah, I love-" Serena glanced at her Pokémon, whom Iris was petting – Serena was surprised Fletchinder didn't try to peck her hand like it did with so many other people. "I mean, well, I just happened to end up with a fire-team, not like I was planning it or anything..."

"Well, fire could be your thing at least," Iris said and grabbed something from her waist ribbon. For a moment, Serena thought it was her dagger, but it seemed she had a whole pocket full of stuff there as she took out a Poké Ball instead.

Even better, Iris handed the Poké Ball to Serena, who stared at it for the longest time, then looked up at Iris, who smiled and nodded. Convinced, Serena opened the ball.

What Serena saw was only eclipsed by her Fennekin in sheer cuteness. It was a tiny, orange bird-like Pokémon with stubby little yellow wings with a warm glow emanating from it. Getting out of the Poké Ball, it blinked a few times and chirped happily at Serena, whose lower lip was trembling.

Iris smiled. "I hope you like-"

"I LOVE IT!" Serena screamed and hugged the Pokémon – it felt like hugging a hot water bottle. "This thing is a Torchic, right?"

"Yeah, and not just any Torchic," Iris said proudly. "They gave it to me when they invited me here to the Chateau to give me an honorary Grand Duchess rank, and even if it is a cutie-patootie, I don't have time to raise any new Pokémon. What makes _this_ Torchic special is its special ability – Speed Boost. Basically, the longer it's out in battle, the faster it becomes. I'm sure you'll find use for it."

"Thank you!"

"No problem!" Iris said. "I hope we'll meet again before I leave, Yvonne!"

"Uh, yeah, same here..."

Serena waved at Iris and watched her leave the Chateau with an entourage of bodyguards, escort and other hanger-ons. The pleasant feeling of getting a cute new awesome fire-type and meeting a famous authority figure who was actually a nice person quickly evaporated the more Serena thought about it.

_Looker was probably with her_, Serena thought. _Did he just use her to flush me out – or was all this a coincidence? Is my Torchic wearing a wire?_

..._ah, who cares. I'm keeping it if even if it is. _

More importantly, Looker had come to Kalos just a week ago, then, almost immediately after Serena and Grace moved into Vaniville Town. He could give as many speeches as he wanted to about ending crime and blah blah blah, but Serena knew what he was _really_ after. He probably had a good reason for it, too. But Serena had come too far to be stopped now.

What she needed to do was go on the offensive. And the first thing on her bucket list was smoking out anyone who co-operated with him. After all, she had made a promise to herself: she _would_ achieve immortality, no matter who or what stood in her way.

"What do you mean the robot's gone?!" Serena heard one of the Chateau's workers to yell.

"I swear she... it... the robot was outside just a moment ago!" another worker complained. "Then we went back in to pick up something to wheel it away with, came back and _BAM_! No more robot!"

_Why does fate hate me so?_

* * *

**A/N: _Yeah, sorry again, I'm just not gonna announce any specific dates from now on unless I'm 100% sure. That said, this didn't take me _too _long and I'm glad it's done. Sorry in advance for any errors, I wanted to get this uploaded faster than usual. Hope you enjoyed it and thanks for reading - and thank you in particular for your patience._**

**_About the maid robot, how many of you encountered her? And was her name different? I've heard some games had a different name for her while in my latest playthrough, I couldn't find her anywhere. Either way, awesome character or awesome_mest_ character? Creeped me out when I first encountered her._**


	6. Tierno and Trevor's Excellent Adventure

**Chapter Six: _Tierno and Trevor's Excellent Adventure_**

"Out of all the people I loathe," Serena groaned, "and there are many of them, I might add – I have to run into _you_. Fate really _does_ hate me."

"Come on, Ser!" Calem said cheerfully. "Ol' Prof Sycamore wanted me to come help you with this Mega Evolution kerfuffle."

"And clearly the opinion of that lecherous bimbo counts more than mine here. Ain't no justice in this world."

Serena and Calem had bumped into each other at the Ambrette Town Pokémon Center by a crazy random happenstance. Serena had been suspicious right off the bat, but Calem acted innocently enough – or at least he acted like he usually did. At least he noticed Serena's change of style: with her favorite skirt slightly burned, she switched to her backup outfit: a red parka, blue skinny jeans and a blue boater hat, because the red felt hat just didn't match anymore. In Calem's words, Serena had looked "fab", followed by sassy finger-snapping until Calem caught himself and went to commenting on how good meat tasted.

As annoying as he was, Calem would probably be more reliable in battle than Shauna or those other two guys, so Serena decided she would tolerate his presence... for now. The duo headed off to Ambrette Town's Fossil Lab to learn more about Mega Evolution. It did not start well.

"I am important doctor," a scientist announced as Serena and Calem got to introducing themselves. "And you must be Professor Sycamore's students, yes? Do you know about Pokémon fossils?"

"They're fossils of Pokémon?" Calem guessed.

"Very good! I was told Professor Sycamore's students were exceptionally bright!"

Serena groaned loudly while Calem just looked like a kid who had been awarded a gold star.

"First of all, that gag belongs in the 90's," Serena addressed the insensitive scientist. "Second, _students_ of Sycamore? He hasn't even taught us how he gets his hair to look so damn fabulous."

"Don't we all wish to know," another scientist sighed.

"Third, we came here to learn about Mega Evolution," Serena said. "My idiotic minion told me you'd know something about this, so I took time off my very busy schedule AND had to take a mighty detour to get here. You have one minute to give me something useful. Fifty-nine... fifty-eight..."

"Hey, _I _was the one who told you that," Calem protested.

"Well, we know more about fossils here," the scientist said. "I'm afraid I'm no expert when it comes to what you seek."

Serena's eye twitched. "Eight... Seven... Six..." she continued counting quickly.

Another scientist saved the situation quickly, though. "Our assistant at Glittering Cave may know something about it, though," she said hastily as Serena flickered her lighter impatiently.

"Glittering Cave!" Calem said enthusiastically. "Didcha hear that, Serena? Glitter! And we'll get to have an adventure together! It's been ages since I went spelunking!"

"I'd rather immolate myself than have an 'adventure' with you," Serena snarled at Calem.

"Be careful in the cave, then, youngsters," the Important Doctor told Serena and Calem. "People have been known to get lost in its dark mazes or fall into the mine shafts!"

"_Then again_," Serena said, "maybe we _should_ spend some quality time together, Calem."

"Sweet!" Calem said obliviously. "This is going to be the best day ever!"

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Outside Hotel Richissime, North Boulevard, Lumiose City, Kalos**_

"This is the worst day ever!" Trevor complained.

"I just don't know why they threw us out of the hotel," Tierno wondered. "I thought your speech was going great. We got like, _several_ people to that convention center – and some of them even stayed. Though you _might_ have lost them at that point when you started ranting about bathing in the blood of the unbelievers..."

"You should have danced better!" Trevo hissed. "That _always_ keeps their attention. Always distracted by noisy music and flashy colors, easily manipulated masses yearning for a leader. And from the ashes of the great conflict, one shall arise – _me_! And once I rule this region, I will-"

"So, why don't I show you around the city?" Tierno suggested without listening to a word of Trevor's rant. "I've been here dozens of times to watch my favorite dance troupe perform."

Trevor grumbled something, but followed Tierno anyway, half-listening as Tierno regaled his various stories about how tourists could wind up in trouble in the big city.

"There's the Galette Stand, always stay away from there on Wednesdays – that's when the guy who'll try to poison you is working," Tierno narrated as the duo walked down North Boulevard. "And you want to stay away train station between 8 AM and midnight. And _always_ watch your back around the back alleys here. Do _not_ trust _anyone_!"

"Hey, you two," a strange man wearing a trench coat called out to them from a back alley. "Approach so I may exchange words with you."

"Hey, look, that guy's talking to us!" Tierno said cheerfully and dragged Trevor along with him. "Let's go!"

Tierno and Trevor followed the strange man away from the boulevard and to a shady back alley. Considering the glitz and glamor of Lumiose's busiest and most famous street, it was hard to believe that just a few steps away, there was a completely different world, one full of roughnecks, punks, drifters, shysters, tricksters, freely wandering Pokémon and politicians. Even the sparsely populated alley seemed too public for the strange man, who led Tierno and Trevor to another narrow alley, one behind a building, walls full of graffiti and streets littered with trash.

"Welcome, boys," the man in a trench coat said dramatically as he took off his hat to show his face, "to the shady side of Lumiose."

"It's only, like, a three-minute walk from the 'unshady side'," Tierno pointed out.

"Wiseguy, eh?" the man said. "Perhaps introductions are in order. I am a globe-trotting, hard-boiled, elite detective of the International Police. Yes, do try to conceal your surprise, I know I blended in flawlessly. Though I have no roots, Kalos will always hold a special place in my heart, but that doesn't mean I could not go to Sinnoh or Unova and instantly adopt their language and sound like a native-speaker. For safety reasons, I cannot divulge my code name until I am confident that I can trust you, but-"

"Is it Looker?" asked Trevor.

The detective narrowed his eyes at him.

"You did bring us in front of a building called the 'Looker Bureau'," Trevor continued and pointed at the buzzing neon sign above the entrance that spelled out the name in huge letters. "Plus I installed a new app to my Holo Caster that pretty much shows a satellite view of this place and it looks like there's another sign at the roof saying the same thing."

"It seems you are trustworthy," Looker said smoothly. "I go by 'Looker', but for safety reasons, I would still prefer if you called me 'Handsome'."

"Ehh... you're not bad, but I'd prefer if you had smoother skin," Tierno said. "Five out of ten – maybe six if you do something to those eyebrows."

"'Handsome' is my code name," Looker said.

"I thought 'Looker' was your code name," Trevor said quietly.

"It – look, we're drifting off-topic here. Let's just stop it and continue!"

"...what?" Tierno and Trevor asked at the same time.

"Alas, my sense of style has, for once, betrayed me," Looker said dramatically as he rubbed his chin and gazed at the sky. "In my morning haze, I was foolishly tempted by the obscenely low prices at the neon sign store, and believed they would go great with my new Bureau, in a kitschy sort of way, but are they truly-"

"Excuse me, detective Looksome," Tierno interrupted, "but who are you talking to?"

"Private eye monologue," Looker explained. "Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it once you graduate from 'The Looker Method'. Yes, even YOU can become a detective in five easy steps!"

"Why would I want to?" Trevor asked.

"Also, shouldn't you call it the 'Handsome Method'," Tierno said, "you know, 'cause of the whole secrecy thing."

"I – _just shut up_!" Looker snapped at the two. "I'm doing the best I can here! And you _will_ want to take this course... whether you want to or not."

"Again, _what_?" Trevor asked.

"Never mind that now," Looker said. "You see, I was quick to recognize you two. I've seen my share of amateur films in my day, and _this_ one in particular caught my eye."

Trevor and Tierno watched as Looker brought up his Holo Caster and played a familiar clip: Serena's PR video. Trevor cringed in embarrassment having to watch Tierno skip around, Shauna forgetting her lines, Calem overacting and Serena's vow to take over. But he did enjoy the parts with that little ginger kid.

"Man, I _rocked_ that tutu," Tierno said as the video ended. "I hadn't even seen that before! It turned out pretty good, I think."

"I'm sure it was a hit among the blind and the deaf," Trevor grumbled.

"I'm going to let you boys in on a little secret," Looker said as he pocketed the Holo Caster. "That Serena is bad news. In Unova, she had many nicknames, like 'Luciferina' and 'The Traveling Blaze'. She never left any evidence behind and no one who confronted her ever made the connection to a humble teenaged girl from Anville Town. I was the only one who knew the truth and hatched the perfect plan to get a confession from her. Unfortunately, by the time I got to that, she had left Unova and moved here, no doubt hatching some kind of sinister plot."

Tierno and Trevor glanced at each other nervously, but all this just seemed to confirm Looker's suspicions.

"I'm not accusing you boys of anything," Looker assured. "But associating with her might prove to be dangerous in the long run. You might end up... _getting your fingers burned_. Eh? Eh? See, I'm down with the kids and their humor, am I not? Anyway, she hasn't done anything too bad yet, and neither have you. You might even have grown fond of her. What's not like? After all, underneath that crazy, ruthless pyromaniac exterior lies... an even crazier ruthless pyromaniac."

Trevor nodded sagely. Tierno looked uncomfortable.

"But, nonetheless, she must be stopped," Looker continued. "Firstly, because justice. And secondly, and this is the important part, it's for her own good. I mean, she started out small. We all feel like burning down a building every once in a while, right?"

"Absolutely," Trevor said. "Some of us feel like that every day."

"All that can be forgiven, but what she has done..." Looker paused to shake his head grimly. "If only you poor innocent minds knew. Especially this one right here," Looker paused to pat Trevor on the head. "He looks so young and full of boyish dreams, perhaps of becoming another defender of justice."

"Touch me again and you will do your next investigation at the emergency room," Trevor threatened quietly.

"So, I'll cut you a deal," Looker continued, apparently not having heard what Trevor said. "You two help me in my latest investigation and tell me all you know about Serena's plans and I'll protect you from her and from any legal harm that her scheming may bring your way. There might even be a reward coming your way if you comply."

"Excuse me, I need to discuss this with my colleague," Trevor said and dragged Tierno away.

Tierno shrugged at Looker and just looked confused as Trevor dragged him away from earshot. Tierno had to crouch to hear what Trevor was whispering to him.

"So, what do you think?" Trevor asked.

"I dunno," Tierno said uncomfortably. "He doesn't smell _so_ bad, not as bad as Serena said, anyway, but he really should go easy on that cologne-"

"About his suggestion, you fool!"

"Oh. Right." Tierno rubbed his neck awkwardly. "Well, see, had he asked like a week ago, maybe I would have been on board, because Ser really scares me with that stuff she says sometimes. But she also promised to protect us, that Looker guy really rubs me the wrong way and... she's our friend!"

"Since when?" Trevor grumbled.

"Oh, Trevs, you don't mean that! And besides, Cal and Shaunee really like her, and they're your friends, at least."

"That self-indulgent moron and that naïve ditz? Don't make me laugh! Why should their opinions matter to me? My intellect is vastly superior."

"You're on a bad mood today, Trevs."

"I'M ALWAYS ON A BAD-" Trevor stopped yelling and calmed himself. "We must take his offer. This is my chance to one-up _all_ opposition at the same time. That arrogant Unovan firecracker _and_ the International Police's best detective in one bag – my innards tingle with joy just thinking about it."

"Gross," Tierno said. "But all right – we'll do what _you_ want to do today, Trevs. But tomorrow is my day, and I've always wanted to take the museum tour. And I guess I do stand for justice, so let's go."

"Good. Just let me do the talking."

"...are you sure?"

Trevor didn't answer, but just marched over to Looker confidently, Tierno hanging back a little uncertainly.

"Detective Handler, we accept your terms!" Trevor said. "Take us to our first assignment!"

"Excellent," Looker grinned. "On the way there, please tell me all you know about Serena's plans. And when you see her again, I woul appreciate if you didn't tell anything about you meeting with me to her or her other friends. Arceus only knows what monstrous things she is up to now."

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Route 9, Kalos**_

"Yee-haw!" Serena yelled, as the Rhyhorn she was riding on dashed forward towards the Glittering Cave. "How you doing back there, Calem?!" she yelled over her shoulder.

"My Rhyhorn is – ouch - a jerk!" Calem complained between pained grunts. "Ow! How can a person ride on these?"

"Most people get the hang of it within an hour or two," Serena said. "So with you, I'd give it about a week."

"I don't think my – ow – body will handle that long. Is this thing's skin made of rock or – ow- something?! Serena, look out, there's a boulder in your way!"

"Not for long!" Serena yelled. "Ram it!"

Rhyhorn ran faster, pulling its head back and then smashing the boulder into bits with its horn. Serena cheered and laughed insanely.

"Ser, be careful!" Calem squealed in panic. "There's a Sandile about to attack you-"

"On it!" Serena promised. "Stomp it!"

The Sandile couldn't even make a move as Rhyhorn's heavy stomp buried it back into the ground, perhaps making it think twice about attacking next time. Serena laughed even harder, covering up Calem's sobs and pained squeals as he struggled to make his Rhyhorn keep up with Serena.

"I forgot how much this was!" Serena yelled. "Go, Rhyhorn! Destroy everything in your path! Leave no stone un-_obliterated_!"

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Lumiose City, Kalos**_

Looker started out by taking Tierno and Trevor out to lunch and chatted with them pleasantly, asking Tierno about his plans for his dancer career and Trevor about the things he had learned during his studies. It wasn't until dessert that he started asking about what Serena had told them and what her plans were. Neither Tierno nor Trevor saw any reason not tell Looker everything they knew.

Saying he had business to take care of, Looker asked the boys to meet him at an out-of-the-way street south of Jaune Plaza in an hour. With even Trevor being happy for once, the boys chatted away and lazily walked over to the rendezvous spot, arriving there 58 minutes and 27 seconds later, no Looker in sight. The people walking down the street seemed completely different from the rich people in model-like clothing the duo had seen down North Boulevard, and there weren't very much of them either, all seeming concerned with getting out of that particular place. Only one person seemed to be content on staying, a girl with long and curly black hair, wearing old, patched-up clothes. Tieno and Trevor watched her chat up people passing by, but no one seemed to give her a second look.

"Sir, if you could just-" she said as a disheveled-looking man hurried away from her. "Uh, yeah, _mademoiselle_, do you have a- oi, you sir! Hey, I know yous can hear me!"

As she spotted Tierno and Trevor staring at her from the other side of the street, she rushed towards them. Trevor nudged Tierno nervously with his elbow.

"Tierno, she's coming towards us," he said. "What do we do?"

"Should we do something?" Tierno wondered.

"She probably has a switchblade or something! I'm not giving away my money! I need it to finance my operations. And for candy!"

"'Ey, were yous two clowns staring at me just now?" the girl asked aggressively and jabbed Tierno with her finger, Trevor hiding behind Tierno. "I wouldn't even need my gang to whoop you guys, I could slam you to the curb right here! Yous got a problem with me?"

"N-no," Tierno stuttered awkwardly. "Listen, uh..."

"Emma's the name, chump," the girl said and crossed her arms. "Why's that daywalker hiding behind ya?"

"He's, um, shy," Tierno said while Trevor hissed at Emma before pulling himself behind Tierno again. "Look, we're just waiting for our friend, not bothering anyone, you just go back to doing your thing..."

"You ain't from around here, aint'cha?" Emma asked suspiciously. "You from some fancy place in the south, like Kiloude?"

"No!" Tierno protested. "Well, not _that_ down south, and certainly nothing fancy. We're from Vaniville!"

Emma tilted her head. "Where? That one of them country hick villages?"

"What is your accent supposed to be?!" Trevor yelled at Emma. "No one talks like that!"

Emma was about to punch Trevor but Tierno raised his arms and smiled nervously, stepping in front of Trevor and hoping to broker peace.

"Yeah, you got us, we're from the countryside and we don't know much stuff and we're _super_-poor, so there's no use trying to mug us or anything," Tierno rattled off nervously.

Emma snorted.

"I know what that's like," she said. "But why'd you think I was tryin' to rob yous? Just cuz I don't dress as fancy as you don't mean I'm stupid, or one of them criminals! I was just... gonna ask if you had any change. Pfft, forget it."

Angrily kicking away an empty can, Emma slouched away. Trevor finally got the courage to come out from hiding.

"Yeah, you walk away," he grumbled at Emma's back, quietly enough so Emma wouldn't hear.

"Trevs!" Tierno scolded. "Hey, uh, Emma!" he yelled after the girl, who turned to look at him suspiciously. "Could you come over her for a minute?"

"You treacherous oaf!" Trevor hissed and hid behind Tierno again.

"What you want?" Emma asked and narrowed her eyes at Tierno.

"Look," Tierno said warmly, "our friend is late and we're just tourists, soon to be adults and figuring out our place in life – you're about our age, right?"

"I'm sixteen," Emma replied warily.

"Well, we're seventeen!" Tierno said. "So, yeah, we got that in common. Maybe we could chat for a while. We don't really have any money to give, but uh, if you need it, I do have some food on me. I was gonna have it for lunch, but since our friend bought us a three-course meal, I won't be needing it. Here!"

Tierno smiled at Emma and offered her a _Lumiosien_, a baguette with butter and ham. Emma glanced at it warily, Tierno practically hearing her stomach growling. She then glanced at Tierno, slowly approached him and practically snatched it from his hands.

"'Preciate it," she muttered. "Now I have something to give Mimi."

"Who's that?" Tierno asked politely.

"A friend," Emma answered evasively as she hid the baguette under her shirt.

"You, uh, have lots of friends?" Tierno asked.

"Some," Emma answered briefly, but when Tierno continued to stare at her, she sighed and added: "Yeah, some kids who live around come to play with me and Mimi sometimes. They bring food and stuff sometimes, y'know?"

Tierno started to get a feeling that he knew why that was, but wasn't exactly sure how to approach that subject delicately. Before he could say anything, Emma brushed her hair aside and continued the conversation, eyes darting back and forth as she spoke.

"So, uh, this friend you're waiting for," she said.

"Oh, yeah, Look... I mean, Hand... I mean – what do I call him?" Tierno asked Trevor awkwardly.

Trevor just continued to glare at Emma from behind Tierno's back like a Persian that was about to attack a helpless Rattata. Tierno did not want to see these two duking it out.

"Anyways, is he, uh, loaded?" Emma asked nervously. "Like, he rich, wear fancy clothes, a fancy watch, somethin' like that?"

"Well, I suppose he has to be," Tierno said carelessly. "I mean, he is a world-class detecti– oh."

"You fool!" Trevor hissed.

Hearing the word 'detective' made Emma's eyes widen. Without looking back, she ran off to a dark alley, disappearing into the shadows. Tierno sighed while Trevor frowned at him.

"This is what politeness leads to!" he blasted at Tierno. "Now there's one more person who knows about all this!"

"Well, I couldn't just abandon her like that," Tierno said defensively. "Did you see how she was dressed? And the way she looked at that sandwich... it's like she hadn't eaten in days."

"Pity is a quality for the weak," Trevor muttered. "It's a good thing Handsome wasn't around to see this."

"I think you're wrong about that," Tierno said as he looked over Trevor's shoulder. "He's there."

Trevor looked, and flinched as he saw Looker standing innocently next to a lamppost a little away from them. For some reason, he was wearing a wig and lipstick, but it was still clearly him. Tierno and Trevor approached him, Tierno tapping him on the shoulder.

"Mr. Handsome," he said. "We're ready."

Looker almost jumped into the air, letting out a high-pitched squeal as Tierno did that and fumbling a few steps backwards, holding his chest.

"How did you recognize me in this disguise?!" he exclaimed. "Clearly you should have at least seen that I was undercover."

"This must be a joke," Trevor said flatly.

"Oh, well, I guess I won't be needing it," Looker sighed, wiped off the lipstick and tossed away the wig. "But _you_ must clearly be gifted in the art of police work. Perfect candidates for my five-step program, name to be determined."

"Okay then," Tierno said nervously. "_B__oy_ are we both stoked to help you in your investigation. You didn't tell us too much at lunch."

"Prying ears everywhere," Looker said simply. "This is a little more quiet."

Looker led Tierno and Trevor to yet _another_ back alley, this one on the opposite side from the one Emma ran off to. At the end of the alley, there was an old, creaky building, the paint on its walls peeling off. Making sure no one was around, Looker hid behind a dumpster and crouched, Tierno and Trevor doing the same.

"That place over there," Looker nodded in the direction of the creaky building, "is the home of a notorious criminal. However, there isn't enough evidence to bring him in and he continues to evade the police, switching hideouts constantly. Thanks to my informants, I tracked him here, but he knows my face, and last time he was somehow fooled by my excellent disguise. That is where you come in."

"Us?!" Tierno squeaked. "Look, I know we're – or at least we're supposed to be – Sycamore's students, but the others got all the good Pokémon. We're not that great."

"Speak for yourself, Dancing Queen," Trevor grumbled.

"You don't need to fight him," Looker said, pondered for a while and quickly added: "I hope. Just yesterday, the criminal in question, 'Doctor' Xerosic, as they call him-"

"What kind of name is that?" Trevor wondered. "Is he even from this planet?"

"-sent out a message to the underworld," Looker continued, ignoring Trevor. "He requested those in need of money and with little regard to the legality of things, preferably people from other regions, to test his new... invention. I need some hard data about it, and all you have to do is go in, test the device, play nice with the so-called doctor and get out."

"We're not in danger, right?" Tierno asked. "I mean, do we have to wear a wire?"

"Get to this century!" Looker scoffed. "Modern technology has taken care of such needs. During our lunch, I was able to hack into your Holo Casters and make use of their audio recording functions. I also installed a program into both of them that will measure readings from Xerosic's... invention."

"I don't like you pausing before you say that," Tierno said nervously.

"You are completely safe," Looker assured. "I will not leave the area, and I have the authority to call the Lumiose Police's special unit in, complete with helicopters and tear gas and all that cool stuff in whenever I want. No lie."

"Sounds like this can't go wrong," Trevor said. "Let's go."

"Um..."

Tierno still wasn't sure, but Trevor was already making his way towards the dilapidated building. Tierno looked at Looker for guidance, but he had already slipped into the shadows and disappeared – though presumably he was still in the area. Since it was unwise to let Trevor talk with, well, anyone, Tierno followed him.

Since Looker hadn't given them any kind of code, Trevor just knocked on the door. The boys could hear footsteps from inside, slowly approaching the door, then sound of several security locks being opened.

As the door finally opened, at first Tierno thought he was looking at a ghost. Then he realized the man who opened was just extremely pale. Dr. Xerosic was mostly bald, with some red hair sticking out of the back of its head, styled as some kind of ponytail. He also had a red goatee. The color red dominated the rest of his outfit, as he was wearing a fully red suit and red goggles that completely obscured his eyes. The man stared at Tierno and Trevor, who could only stare back in confusion for a while.

"May I help you?" Xerosic asked politely. "I have already found Arceus, thank you very much, and am not looking into other options."

"Um," Trevor said meekly, flinching as Xerosic turned to look at him. "Actually, we came here 'cause of your message. You wanted people to test your-"

"Ah, yes," Xerosic said quietly. "Where are my manners? Enter, please, and with haste!

Xerosic practically dragged Tierno and Trevor in, looked out of the door quickly and closed it, also preparing the _many_ security locks he had. Seeing this made Tierno gulp nervously and he quickly turned to look at what he got himself into.

Surprisingly, the building looked much nicer on the inside – but that didn't ward off Tierno's suspicions. The walls and the floors were completely spotless and shining, a strong smell of disinfectant lingering in the air. Almost all furniture was wrapped in plastic and the shelves were full of strange-looking electronic devices.

"So, welcome to my current base of operations," Xerosic said as he turned to address Tierno and Trevor. "I admit neither the location nor the accommodations are _quite_ to my liking, but one learns to do their best with what they have. Security reasons may force me to move elsewhere, however. I fear there are some ignorant minds who seem to consider my operations, what was the word... illegal! Amusing, no?"

Tierno let out a forced laughter. "Yes, quite," he said nervously.

"Before we deliberate business matters, perhaps you wish to inspect my latest strides in many fields of technology?" Xerosic asked and rubbed his hands together as he looked between Tierno and Trevor. "May I possibly offer you refreshments or some comestibles?"

"No, thanks," Tierno said quickly, catching maybe half of that. "Maybe you could just take us to the invention you talked about?"

"Actually," said Trevor, who didn't seem nervous at all, "I still haven't had a galette – ouch!"

Tierno stomped on Trevor's foot, grinning widely at Xerosic.

"In my message," Xerosic said as he stroked his beard, "I specifically requested for merely one guinea pig-"

"What?"

"Volunteer," Xerosic said quickly. "I can only offer compensation for one person, as the, heh, _device_, in question has been designed for a single user. But all are welcome as spectators in this moment of history in making. So be it: I shall take you to my den – OF SCIENCE!"

Xerosic belted the last word out so loud that spit flew on Tierno's face. The doctor himself didn't seem to notice as he led the boys through the sterile, plastic-wrapped room, through a door and into a basement. The stairs were also wrapped in plastic and the walls were painted white, making Tierno feel like he was entering some kind of hospital for extremely contagious diseases.

"I can just feel you two swelling with pride, you know," Xerosic narrated as the group descended the stairs which seemed to go on forever. "Though you will be compensated, no material reward could even begin to make up for what I have accomplished today. Once our glorious leader' plan reaches its apex, only the worthy shall remain. And my invention make sure the worthy stay in line."

"What are you talking about?" Tierno wondered.

"Shush!" Trevor hissed. "The man makes good points."

Finally, the group arrived to the basement, Tierno and Trevor both gasping loudly as Xerosic turned on the lights. Though it was littered with electronics and weird machinery, their attention was focused the thing on the middle, several searchlights pointing towards it. It was some kind of mechanical battle armor, only about three times as tall as an average adult. It was otherwise shaped like a human, with thick steel arms and legs, but it lacked a head. A hatch was open in its torso, revealing an opening for a person to enter, and presumably control the device.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Xerosic said, though it sounded like he was talking more to himself as he stared at the armor. "I call it the Expansion Suit. This, however, is merely the Alpha model. A second version, one virtually impossible to tell apart from normal clothes and that can even change the user's appearance, is nearly complete. But both are based on the same principle: this uniform augments its user with superhuman strength and reflexes, and most ingeniously, the ability to overwrite the programming of any Poké Ball and thus give the user control over them."

Tierno could hear Trevor breathing heavily as he stared at the device.

"Naturally," Xerosic continued, "only one person can test the-"

"Me!" Trevor yelled.

"You sure this is a good idea?" Tierno muttered at him. "It's literally untested by anyone else."

"Quiet, you!" Trevor hissed at Tierno. "Why is it that you _always_ want to tell me what I _should _do?! This is just as safe as putting on a new shirt!"

"Exactly," Xerosic said smoothly. "An apt metaphor, I must say, young sir. Step in."

Tierno protested quietly, but couldn't say much in Xerosic's presence. The scientist lifted the tiny Trevor easily inside the device's 'seat', a comfy little space where all Trevor had to do was stand, putting his arms and legs in little slots. Xerosic gave Trevor some basic instructions, but apparently it all boiled down to 'moving like you always do'. All Trevor did was nod and smile confidently – until Xerosic explained some of the finer features of the Expansion Suit were controlled by his brain. Before Trevor could say much to this, Xerosic put a helmet connected to the many wires running inside the suit on Trevor's head and closed the hatch.

"I don't believe that man has ever been to medical school," Tierno muttered to himself as he saw Xerosic gleefully reach for a remote.

_But it will all be okay_, Tierno thought to himself. _Trevor's going to walk around in that suit for a while, Looker's gizmo will record everything, we get out of here and will be enjoying fine art at the museum this time tomorrow._

"Activate!" Xerosic yelled.

Machinery whirred to life all over the basement and several lights were turned on around the Expansion Suit. Slowly, the suit lifted its arms, stood upright and took a few lumbering steps forward.

"It's alive!" Xerosic laughed. "Go on, then, young man. Let us see your face!"

Tierno didn't know what it meant – but he would in a second. A three-dimensional, holographic image of Trevor's head appeared on the Expansion Suit's shoulders, where the actual head should be, though grown three times bigger to fit the scale of the suit. The look on Trevor's face was that of absolute insanity, his eyes wide and his pupils having shrunk, an insane smirk on his face. Xerosic looked equally excited – until the Expansion Suit pulled back its 'fist' and smashed one of the machines in the lab.

"Excuse you!" Xerosic yelled. "Boy! Cease the destruction of my property, please."

Trevor either didn't listen or couldn't hear, as he went on an even bigger rampage. Tierno and Xerosic could hear him roar inside the suit, his voice amplified by the speakers built all over the armor. With the Expansion Suit, Trevor punched enormous holes in the walls and kicked down everything not nailed down – before proceeding to destroy everything that _was _nailed down. Xerosic tried to desperately turn the Expansion Suit off with the remote, but nothing seemed to happen.

"This is unfathomable!" he wailed. "Is he... actively resisting the shutdown signal? And how can he master such complicated moves so fast? Any normal person would have worn themselves out after three steps!"

"Let me tell you something about Trevor," Tierno told the scientist.

When there was nothing left to destroy, Trevor crouched down and jumped into the air. With the Expansion Suit, Trevor put even Kalos' basketball team to shame as he rocketed into the air, smashing through the ceiling as it was air and continuing on towards the surface.

Xerosic just stared at the hole in his basement's ceiling and sighed. "Well," he said in resignation. "This project has been terminated. Time to start work on the Beta version! This is your problem now, kid!"

Tossing the remote control carelessly away, Xerosic dashed out of the basement, leaving Tierno behind, a dumbfounded look on his face as he stared at the hole too.

"Hoo, boy," he commented. "He's gonna sleep well tonight. I wonder if anyone else is having a day as exciting as this..."

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Glittering Cave, Kalos**_

Calem had attempted to battle one of the strange people in orange suits and sunglasses, only to lose easily and be knocked out and stuffed into a mining cart. Two other red-suited people watched as the third started pushing Calem deeper into the cave, but stopped what he was doing as Serena and Fennekin arrived.

"'Sup?" she asked them cheerfully. "You mind letting the sissy go?"

"Fool!" yelled one of the red-suited weirdos. "We are Kalos' most stylish and radiant group – Team Flare! Our glorious leader has decided that this world is far too small for us all – hence, he shall make it better, more beautiful than ever before, which it no doubt will be with _us_ as the only people left!"

_Oh no_, Serena thought. _It's the Fashion Police_!

"Be honest with me, now," she told them. "Does this hat mesh at all with the rest of my _ensemble_? It was the only other hat I had because I haven't seen a clothes store in this Arceus-forsaken region in ages!"

"Wha..."

The Team Flare Grunt stared at her comrades, who shrugged.

"Don't you feel any fear, little girl?" she asked Serena. "Surely your knees should _quake_ at the sight of the one and only... Team Flare!"

"Wait, 'Team'?" Serena asked. "So are you guys like Team Plasma?"

"Who are they?" the Team Flare Grunt asked. "That name sounds positively _gauche_!"

"Oh, they were a bunch of creeps in uniforms who had some abstract goal they tried to accomplish by harassing a bunch of random people. Heard they were defeated by some teen."

"But we're totally different," the Grunt insisted.

"In what regard?"

"Our glorious leader taught us... _dance choreography_!" the grunt yelled and made a strange pose.

"And the art of... _drama_!" another grunt announced and made a theatrical moan with the back of his hand on his forehead.

"And most importantly of all... _accessories_!" the third grunt yelled and showed Serena her Poké Ball, which was decorated with glitter, seals and some kind of jewels.

Serena stared at them blankly.

"And?"

"Look, we didn't come here to pass your villainy standards!" the leading grunt snapped. "The orders of our glorious leader-"

"Stop calling him that!" Serena groaned. "Use his name!"

"-were to eradicate all resistance! Go, Houndour!"

The grunt sent out a black canine Pokémon with a stylized white skull emblem on its forehead and bone-like white bands around its legs and on its back. The Houndour growled at Serena's Fennekin and showboated by breathing fire into the air.

_Oh my_, Serena thought.

"THAT IS SO CUTE!" she gushed at the Houndour. "If I win, can I have it?"

"Cart him away," the Houndour-owning grunt told the others, who started pushing the unconscious Calem into the dark depths of the cave. "This will be all over soon."

Serena smiled and brushed her hair off her face. "You're really doing this?" she asked the grunt. "And really saying that? Look, I think you guys are cool and have very snazzy suits, but come on... we both know what happens when you step on my turf. _I'm _the one who's making the world more beautiful here."

"Oh yeah?" the grunt taunted. "What will happen?"

Serena tilted her head and smiled even wider. "Oh, you _don't_ know? Yay! That means I get to show you! Fennekin, do your thing!"

The Houndour was defeated and the grunt ran away with her clothes on fire in approximately twenty-eight seconds. Not Serena's record, but she wasn't at her best.

"And now," she smirked, "the rest."

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Lumiose City, Kalos**_

All those years of watching movies where monsters usually attacked Saffron City or Castelia City hadn't prepared the inhabitants of Lumiose to seeing a fifteen feet tall mecha with the head of a young boy stomping its way through Jaune Plaza, wrecking everything in sight and tossing debris at fleeing and screaming townspeople, laughing all the way.

"_You all laughed at me_!" Trevor ranted as he smashed his way through cars like they were leaves. "_The __whole _world_ laughed at me! Especially you_!" he yelled at a man in an expensive car who abandoned his vehicle and ran away screaming in fear before Trevor turned his car into scrap metal. "_But now the tables have turned! Now who's small, world? Now who's laughing? Now who stutters and throws a ball badly and wets the bed! HUH?!"_

Tierno struggled to keep up with the Expansion Suit, running the opposite direction to the fleeing townspeople. He stopped for a minute to let his Roselia out of its Poké Ball.

"Rosé, you probably didn't think this would ever happen!" he told the grass-type. "I showed you all those episodes of Proteam Omega, telling you to prepare yourself just in case, but I don't think you took me seriously. Quick, wasn't there some kid with self-esteem issues in the first or second season? Though I don't think _he _was the one who went on a rampage. Hmm..."

Roselia slapped Tierno in the knee.

"Oh, right, sorry, got distracted," he said. "Point is, can you stop him? He's gonna hurt himself!"

Roselia turned to look at the Expansion Suit -wearing Trevor, pondered the question for a while, then tapped the button on its Poké Ball and withdrew itself.

"Rosé!" Tierno scolded. "Oh, I can't believe that I'm saying this, but what would Serena do in this situation? Well, I don't have a flamethrower on me, so I guess that's out of the question..."

Tierno stared at the havoc nervously. He should have seen this coming – all signs were pointing to this happening one day. Maybe a few details would have been different, but still. But one thing was for certain – what he was doing now, tossing around cars, bending lampposts, hurling debris through the windows of buildings... that wasn't him. The real Trevor would see such a brutish display of violence unfitting to the new ruler of Kalos.

And with that, Tierno got an idea. Not a good one, he had to admit, but it was all he could do. Face determined, he ran towards mecha-Trevor, hoping not to be squished before he even got a word out.

"Trevor!" he yelled at the thing. "You can hear me, can you?!"

He did – though whether that was a good thing, Tierno was unsure. Trevor stopped breaking everything and turned to look down at Tierno, his face contorted in rage.

"_You_!" Trevor growled. "_How does it feel to be weaker, for once! Oh, the things I __had dreamed of doing to _you."

"Trevor, you can't let that thing get into your mind!" Tierno yelled. "Just come out! I promise you that you can have your day tomorrow! We'll do whatever you want to do, buddy!"

"_Oh, don't even give me THAT_!" Trevor snarled. "_Us? 'Buddies'? I hate all you inferior beings, but I _especially _hate you, Tierno_!"

_Huh_, Tierno thought. _Not what I was expecting to hear_.

"Um..." Tierno said slowly. "Trevor, you're not yourself!" he yelled at the Expansion Suit. "This thing has warped your mind!"

"_The Expansion Suit has helped me think clearly! For the first time in my life, I can do something about this rage! I'm no longer trapped in my useless body! I can rain hot vengeance on all those who wronged me and complete my dream! But _you_ won't be seeing that, Tierno! I'll crush you here and now! Any last words_?"

"C-crush me?" Tierno stuttered. "But... why?!"

"_Wh... are you kidding me?! Name one thing you _really_ know about me! Go on! What's my favorite movie? What type of Pokémon do I like best? What is my favorite element from the periodic table? Huh?! Can you tell me that?!_"

"I..."

"_You can't! Because you never listen! NOBODY ever listens! I was just an insignificant joke to all of you! When people talk about the students of professor Sycamore, who do they remember? The magnificent Serena and her friends, Shauna, Calem and Tierno. But never Trevor! NEVER TREVOR!_"

Trevor punched a nearby building, causing stone and glass to rain down on Tierno. But Tierno wasn't too easy to hit as he nimbly dodged every piece of debris that was about to him, easily navigating his way around the Expansion Suit and away from its reach.

"I'm sorry, Trevs!" he yelled. "I swear I didn't know! But as much as I like those other guys, you know you could never replace 'em!"

"_That's just it! YOU claim to be the closest to me, but even YOU don't know anything! I don't need you anymore! I'm _strong _now_!"

"I know," Tierno told him desperately. "You never needed me, Trevs. When Lise and her gang tried to fight us, it was _you _who came to _my _aid."

"_...I was young and stupid. I should have never bothered. And I wasn't defending _you! _I was defending the honor of the group – which I should have never even joined_!"

"But you did," Tierno said pleadingly. "Trevor, do your remember first grade? I know it's been a long time, but it wasn't really a fun experience for either of us. The Aquacorde posh kids made fun of me for wanting to be a dancer – and you for your nerd... I mean, book knowledge! But the joke was on them – if it wasn't for you, those Foongus could have really gotten us bad!"

"_I... I should have left you at their mercy._"

"But you didn't!" Tierno yelled. "You're always been there for me, Trevs. You helped me out during that first year, helped me make friends with Shaunee and Cal! I don't think we'd _have_ a group without you."

"_I... foolish sentimentality. You... you're just saying that now because I'm about to crush you! It's too little and too late_!"

Trevor picked up a wrecked car and raised it high above the mecha's 'head', ready to smash Tierno with it. But Tierno didn't budge, just stared at Trevor intently.

"I'm saying it," Tierno said, "because you're my best friend, Trevs. Even if you throw that car now, that ain't gonna change."

Trevor prepared to throw the car, but paused at the last second. Tierno wondered if he had suffered a malfunction: the thick, long arms of the Expansion Suit started trembling, and eventually so did the entire suit. This lasted for almost a full minute until Trevor let out a frustrated scream of rage and threw the car into another direction, crashing another car with it. Tierno let out a sigh of relief.

"_But I can't abandon the Expansion Suit_!" Trevor yelled. "_I can control it, I know I can! Just let me march over to the seat of government and I'll show them who here is worth worshiping!_"

Tierno could clearly hear sirens from nearby, as well as the whirring of helicopters that could already been seen in the distance.

"It's not gonna work, Trevs," Tierno warned. "That thing is not invincible. Even if you can take on the entire police force of this city, they'll send the Elite Four after you! If all of their Pokémon attack at once..."

Trevor's eye twitched, but he, too, noticed the police continuing to approach. He screamed again, but this time, it was so loud Tierno was sure the whole eastern half of the city could hear it. With that, the massive Expansion Suit fell, crashing on the ground with an enormous thud. Barely avoiding being crushed by it, Tierno ran over to the hatch in the torso, only to see it open it on its own accord and practically 'spit' Trevor out of its body. He looked like he was half-asleep, the helmet on his head having come off. Tierno grabbed him and pulled him away from the mecha quickly, shaking him out of his trance.

"Trevor!" he yelled. "Trevs, you all right?"

"Whuh..." he muttered. "Tell that Xerosic... that I don't want to do it after all... had the weirdest dream just now... I think it may have been prophetic."

"Okay, you're all right, buddy," Tierno said in relief. "But we have to get you out of here or else-"

But two police cars had already made their way to the plaza, stopping on both sides of the Expansion Suit. Two police officers came out of the car closest to the boys, the other officer inspecting the suit while the other one addressed Tierno and Trevor.

"Hey, you two!" he yelled. "What happened here? What happened to the robot thing? Is the danger over?"

"I..." Tierno muttered, completely at loss at what to say.

"We're going to have to take you two to the precinct!" the officer continued. "You're the only ones who can tell us the full story."

_But_, Tierno thought as he made vague, frightened noises at the officer. _If they take us away, how long will it take them to put Trevor's face together with the face they saw on the mecha_?

"We... we're with the International Police!" Tierno said in panic. "Detective Handsome sent us here to do undercover work!"

"Who?" the officer asked.

"No, I mean... Detective Looker did!" Tierno yelled, both cops looking at them suspiciously. "You can ask him! He said he had the authority to command the regular police whenever he wanted!"

"Looker of the Looker Bureau?" the officer said, raising his eyebrows at Tierno. "You heard anything about that?" he asked his partner, who shook his head. "Me neither. We haven't had any interaction with Looker – all we know that he's in Lumiose at the moment."

"That lousy..." Trevor grumbled drowsily.

"All right, we'll talk about this more at the station," the officer said and reached out to grab Trevor.

But his hands bumped into a solid, invisible wall. Tierno and Trevor looked around them and recoiled in shock at the sight of a Espurr, whose unblinking eyes were staring at Tierno and Trevor.

"Y'guys!" a familiar female voice called out from an alley. "Over here! Quick!"

Tierno didn't waste time, just grabbed Trevor, ran past the creepy Espurr and towards whomever had just sent it. The Espurr created another Barrier, this one not transparent and stopping the cops from following before following Tierno and Trevor. It turned out their savior was Emma, who led Tierno, Trevor and Espurr through more confusing back alleys before crawling into an abandoned building through a little hole in the wall. Tierno, Trevor and Espurr followed, hiding in their spot, still hearing the sounds of the police yelling something in the distance.

"Thank you!" Trevor panted at Emma.

"I only did it 'cause I hate the coppers 'round here," Emma said modestly and shrugged. "They're always hasslin' me and Mimi."

Tierno glanced at the Espurr, whose expression was still as blank and wide-eyed as ever. Something about that Pokémon didn't seem quite right. Trevor wasn't concerned about that. Instead, he kept hissing and grumbling to himself.

"That stupid," he mumbled, "smelly, manipulative, cowardly _wretch_! He dared to lie in the face of the all-powerful _Trevor_?! He will pay!"

"What's he yammerin' on about?" Emma asked Tierno.

"This detective, supposedly from the International Police," Tierno explained. "He kind of-"

"He set us up!" Trevor ranted. "He took what he wanted from us and let us take the fall! But he'll pay! And while every fiber of my being is screaming at me for saying this... I'm rooting for Serena."

**~o~O~o~**

**Location: Glittering Cave, Kalos**

A Team Flare Grunt narrowly escaped being burned and was now hiding behind a rock, whimpering in fear.

"Zubat?" he whispered. "Is she still in there? Zubat?"

Looking around the corner, the grunt tried to suppress a gasp as he saw his Zubat knocked out on the ground. Worse yet, he heard footsteps, and they were getting louder. Just as he was about to crawl to another hiding spot, he saw something grinning evilly at him from the darkness before he was blasted by flames.

The last grunt heard the sound of her comrade screaming, and soon enough, was surprised to see the mining cart coming towards her. She dodged it and let it hit the wall, shocked to see that it was carrying her unconscious comrades. She sent out her Electrike and made it scout ahead, only for a Combusken to appear out of nowhere and easily knock it out with Double Kick.

The grunt abandoned her Pokémon and ran to the other direction, only to bump into the stylish devil herself, surrounded by fire on all sides. The grunt got on her knees in front of her, kissing her expensive shoes, begging for her life, claiming she would surrender.

"Just please don't burn me!" the grunt pleaded.

"All right," Serena said calmly as she stroked the Fennekin on her lap. "Leave this place and I won't burn you."

"Truly?"

"Uh huh. You should know something about me, though."

"What's that?"

"I lie a lot."

Seconds later, the last grunt was running away from the mine with her suit in flames. Serena stopped to congratulate Fennekin and Combusken for a job well done when Calem appeared by her side, rubbing the back of his head and cringing. Spotting the two unconscious grunts in the cart, he cheered.

"All right!" he said. "We can do anything when we work together."

But when Serena glared at him, Calem cleared his throat and looked embarrassed.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "And, um, thanks for coming to my rescue. I really thought I had it!"

"You still have a chance to prove your usefulness," Serena told him coldly. "Right now, you're about my fourth-most reliable minion."

"Oh, thanks! Hey, hang on..."

"These Team Flare people, though," Serena said as she inspected the two grunts and their extremely nice if a little odd suits – the fabric they were made of was very smooth and expertly sown. "If you have _any_ information about them, now would be the time to tell me."

"Nope," Calem said innocently. "Why do you ask?"

Serena narrowed her eyes at him. "Just wondering. I guess we should get going. This was a pointless distraction and I still want to get to Shalour City!"

"I'll come with you!" Calem said perkily. "Maybe we can have a battle along the way – it might make me stronger!"

"Well, the only direction you can go is up."

"And you could stop in Cyllage City along the way! There's a gym there, you know."

"Oh, so there actually is a second gym? I thought it was a myth. Nah, I don't know, I really want to get to Shalour as soon as possible."

"There's also a clothes store..."

Serena smirked. "What are we waiting for?!"

* * *

**_A/N: As always, to all those reading: _**ありがとう ございます**_！_**

**_This is a bit more experimental chapter because nothing that interesting happens in the game between Parfum Palace and Cyllage City - except Team Flare's introduction. So, I handled it with a couple of quick, fiery scenes with Serena and focused on my ongoing original plot. Well, 'original', but I didn't rip it from the game, at least. I also thought these two needed some page time and character development. Not to worry, there will be plenty of Serena (and Calem) in the next chapter and chapters like this one are a bit of a change of pace. Hope you like it, and all reviews, positive or negative, are welcome. Thanks in particular those who reviewed the previous chapter: RunningRapidash, RandomNumbers523156, Davin134 and Nightraze. Love the feedback.  
_**

**_Cyllage City up next!_**


	7. At Last! Badge Number Two!

Serena was sitting with her legs fancily crossed, looking at her nails in a brightly lit room, a searchlight pointing towards her, two weary-looking detectives sitting opposite to her, both with their arms crossed and both staring at Serena. There was a mirror at the far end of the room, which made Serena chuckle. Did they really expect her to believe this?

Her Pokémon, Fennekin, Charmeleon and Combusken, were standing in a row with their limbs and mouths chained, two Conkeldurr on either side. They were initially supposed to wait outside, but they had caused such a ruckus and were resisting being sedated so much that Serena advised the detectives to have them in the room with her to keep them calm.

Almost three hours of mostly silence had passed. Staring at the detectives again, Serena was snapping her fingers nervously, wishing she had her lighter, but her bag had been taken away.

"Can I smoke?" she asked the detectives innocently.

"Nice try, but we already know all about you," the detective answered roughly. "One, you don't smoke. Two, your unusual ability to set almost anything on fire has not gone unnoticed."

"Aww, thanks," Serena said cheerfully.

"It wasn't a compliment."

"I know, but it feels good to hear it."

The other detective rubbed his temples and sighed. "Does this mean you're ready to talk?"

"Sure," Serena said casually. "About what?"

"Tell us _everything_," the detective said simply.

Serena prepared to do so, all the while pondering on the events of the day and how she had ended up in an interrogation room at the Cyllage City Police Department.

**Chapter Seven: _At last! Badge __N__umber Two__!_**

_**Location: Cyllage City, Kalos**_

_**Several hours earlier...**_

As soon as she had arrived to Cyllage, Serena stormed the boutique, Calem following haplessly around despite his meek suggestions about going to the Pokémon Center. The afternoon went by with Serena trying out different outfits while Calem gave his estimation on how good they looked. He would have bought himself something, but was lacking in money while Serena was rolling in fat stacks after defeating the Team Flare grunts at the Glittering Cave, not to mention the many unsuspecting trainers hanging around the beach between Ambrette and Cyllage. And she did this all the while having Fennekin carry around an Amulet Coin. Calem questioned this logic, but with a tone of bitterness once he saw the money Serena was dropping on the counter.

After an hour passed trying on different shoes and socks, Serena was quick to find what would make heads turn: a pink and black sparkly bolero dress. This was the one Calem gave an appreciative thumbs up to – but she decided to keep it anyway, as it was on sale. Eventually she went to choosing the right hat to go with it, which made Calem groan impatiently.

"Come on!" he said. "Can't you just go hatless like me?"

"Actually, I can't," Serena said seriously as she checked herself in the full-body mirror. "It's like a mystical force is always compelling me to wear a hat. Weird – but then again, I make it work."

"No denying that," Calem said smoothly.

"Think before you open your mouth, Calem, please."

"'Kay. But can't you go with your old red felt hat?"

"It's scarlet," Serena said pointedly. "And I – well, actually that just might work. Thanks, Calem! You just saved me a lot of time and money."

"Cool. Can we get to the Pokémon Center now? My Frogadier got knocked out like three times on the way here!"

"Absolutely – be there in a second."

Fifteen minutes later, after Serena had bought a red enamel-striped purse, the two headed to Cyllage City's Pokémon Center. Serena spent the money she had saved on not buying a hat on Potions and Poké Balls while Calem had to stand in line to get his Pokémon treated. Confident that it would take him a while, Serena rushed to another room to use one of the public videophones. Looking over her shoulder, she hastily dialed the number and waited for someone to pick it up.

Eventually, the fabulous face of the familiar dark-haired professor came into view, lab coat and shirt open as always.

"_Ah, _ma cherie, _how are you doing_?" professor Sycamore asked before Serena got a word out. "_Loving the dress, by the way. Where'd you get it from_?"

"Cyllage City," Serena said quickly. "It's where I am right now and I'm fine – I have to be quick about this. What did you want to see me for? You just sent me a Holo but didn't explain anything else."

"_Oh, yes, of course, always business with __you_," Sycamore laughed. "_I'm assuming you're using a public phone?_"

"Yes."

"_Splendid, __just wondering why the audio quality wasn't too good__! __Well, now, __two of your friends, __the boys__, came to my lab just yesterday. __They really seemed to enjoy themselves – it's almost as if they couldn't leave, __like something outside was going to get them. __Must be a case of agoraphobia_."

Serena frowned. "You mean Ti... oh." Serena nodded slowly in understanding. "I see, professor. Are they giving you trouble?"

"_Oh, I'm _always _happy to help young minds in the ways of science – plus I need some extra hands __to trim my eyebrows. Your dancer friend is really good at that! And the other one just sits with his nose stuck in my books all day like he can't even go outside_."

"Uh huh," Serena said and tried to suppress a smile. "Well, Shauna is in the area, so I'll try to send her a message and tell her to meet up with them."

"_Oh, _trés magnifique!_ See, the strangest thing was, the boys told me they met this man, and apparently he was, uh, quite the looker. Hard to imagine there's anyo__ne__ in this town better-looking than me, but that's what they said_."

Serena's eye twitched. This time, she couldn't help but to smile. _You made your move, old man. Now it's my turn_.

"I understand," Serena said meaningfully. "Is this man a friend of theirs?"

"_Well, he was at first as they went out to have some fun, to __see the sights like the Richissime Hotel, __the museum,_" Sycamore tapped his nose with his finger, "_the Jaune Plaza._"

At the same time as Sycamore said that, Serena received a message to her Holo Caster. She picked it up without breaking conversation.

"Well, I hope they had fun," Serena said as she opened the message – the sender was unknown.

"_That's just the thin__g. He was __nice to t__o the boys__ at first, but __apparently __he wasn't the most reliable of people. And he kept asking __very __private__ questions about this girl they __know. You have any idea who that girl is_?"

"Nope, can't say that that I do," Serena said as she read the message.

The message was a link to a news article. It concerned, and it apparently wasn't made up, a robot or a mecha of some sort wreaking havoc around Jaune Plaza in Lumiose City. It ended with a comment saying "representatives of the International Police have not yet given any statements regarding the matter". Serena grinned.

"_Well, anyway, thought you'd just like to know how your friends are doing_," Sycamore said. "_Speaking of, how is __your neighbor_?"

"Good," Serena said quickly. "I think he's _very_ _close by_, actually."

"_Oh. Well, I don't want to hold you up any longer. _Au revoir!"

Sycamore ended the call just as Serena heard footsteps from behind her. It was Calem, smiling like someone with no cares in the world, strutting over to Serena confidently.

"Whatup, Ser?" he asked in a way he apparently thought was cool. "Who were you talking to?"

"My mom," Serena said immediately. "I worry about her sometimes, stuck in the house with Rhyhorn and that little Fletchling... who just refuses to go away."

"Well, should we head to the gym?" Calem asked. "I'm feelin' lucky!"

As Serena and Calem exited the Pokémon Center, however, it didn't occur to either of them that they had no idea where the gym could be. They did, however, noticed a cycling track running the length of the town's circumference. According to Calem's map, the town was full of tracks for cycling, but this one was the biggest.

Serena read the gym guide she had purchased to avoid any more surprises like Viola. Next to the entry of Cyllage City's leader, Grant, there was a description saying that he was a word-class athlete with a love for cycling, swimming, mountain climbing and the like. So, the duo decided to follow the track.

As soon as they stepped on it, though, they were almost ran over by a woman dashing past them on roller skates, accidentally knocking Calem on the ground. Noticing what happened, the tall woman with long, light blonde hair jumped into the air, did a mid-air pirouette and landed gracefully before dashing over to Serena and Calem.

"Wow," Serena said appreciatively.

"Show-off," Calem grumbled.

"Sorry about that," the woman panted cheerfully as she helped Calem up, Serena not really bothering. "I was in a hurry to see my friend compete in the cycling contest. But I guess I'll miss it anyway '_cause of these slowcoaches_!"

Serena and Calem looked behind them, wondering who the woman was yelling at, eventually spotting two Lucario running towards them, both looking exhausted at having to keep up with the woman.

"You're just making them run like that?" Serena wondered.

"Uh huh," the woman replied proudly. "It's all part of my training. We don't spend one moment slacking around. We live to win!"

"How long have you been going?"

"Hmm, let's see," the woman pondered. "We started off from Shalour City, zoomed to Coumarine, took a trip around Lumiose, cruised through Camphrier and are now speeding through Cyllage until we get back home where we started from. If _someone_," she snapped at the other Lucario, "would know how to level her breathing! And you!" she yelled at the other one. "Did you think I didn't take a look at your time? 'Cause I did! What's wrong with you?!"

"Wait, Shalour?" Calem muttered. "So you're Korrina, the gym leader!"

"_Theeeeee_ one and only!" Korrina boasted and kicked the air impressively – it was like her leg wasn't even attached to her body. "You two on the quest for gym badges?

"Oh, totally!" Calem said. "My name's Calem, by the way!"

"Meh, I could live without 'em," Serena muttered. "I'm Serena."

"That kind of thinking won't end well, sister," Korrina scolded Serena. "Badges are the ultimate sign of a trainer's skill!"

"I thought skill was the ultimate sign of a trainer's... skill," Serena pointed out.

Korrina scoffed. "You see, there are two kinds of trainers," she started ranting. "Those with badges, and those who suck!"

"What about trainers who don't want to collect badges?" Serena questioned.

"_They're _not trainers," Korrina insisted. "They're chumps who battle with Pokémon. They can call themselves something else, like Rangers, or '_Coordinators'_," Korrina stressed the last word mockingly while making air quotes with her fingers, "or those terrible Breeders. How can you sit back all day watching Pokémon go at it?"

"Go at what?" Calem wondered. "Food? Oh, wait-"

"Well, if that's what you think," Serena sighed. "I'll take on this town's gym leader. And I'll make sure to roast his Pokémon 'till they're crispy!"

"Sweet, Grant's the one I was supposed to go look!" Korrina said. "Follow me!"

Korrina dashed off without thinking that Serena and Calem might have difficulties keeping up. They stopped to put on their roller skates while Korrina's two Lucario ran after their trainer, though the other one seemed to give Serena a good, long glance over its shoulder before catching up with its friend.

After Calem fell down five times, the two decided to follow Korrina by foot instead, walking along the cycling track, up the cliffs around the city's west side until they finally reached Korrina at the top of the cliff. A large group of people had gathered around what seemed to be the race's finishing line, but no cyclists were yet in sight.

"All right, here they come!" Korrina shouted. "Whoo, go Grant! Leave everyone in the dust!"

A group of cyclists were speeding their way towards the finish line, and leading the way was, based on Korrina's cheers, Grant. He was a lean, athletic and very stylishly dressed young man wearing a tight, black shirt, pedaling forwards with his eyes determinedly on the finish line. The way he pedaled impressed Serena: he could keep up his amazing speed without seemingly getting tired at all. A few seconds later, Grant crossed the finish line first and the crowd went wild, others arriving several seconds later, all looking much more tired than Grant was.

After the race was over and the crowd dispersed, Korrina, Serena and Calem walked over to Grant, who was finishing up a water bottle – there were about five empty ones at his feet.

"Hey, Guh-rant!" Korrina yelled enthusiastically, startling her fellow gym leader. "You didn't disappoint! You crushed those other fools like they were _nothing_! Yeah!"

"Oh, hi Korrina," Grant replied softly as he took his helmet. "Well, thanks, but it doesn't really matter to me, long as I beat my earlier time, I'm fine, and I think I was a bit rusty today."

"Yeah, right!" Korrina scoffed. "You're the best around, no one's ever gonna keep _you_ down! The only thing that should matter to you is _victory_!"

"Whatever you say, Kor," Grant sighed. "These two your friends?"

"What's that stuff in your hair?" Calem wondered.

"Not really, but whatever," Korrina replied to Grant. "These are Serena and Camel."

"Calem," corrected Calem.

"Camel has a better ring to it," Korrina insisted.

As Serena shook hands with Grant, she couldn't help but admire the colorful stones in his black hair. Not only were they stylish – they also looked delicious.

"Is that candy?" Serena asked.

"Nice to meet you both," Grant said as he shook hands with Calem. "And oh no, just stones. As part of my training, I don't eat candy."

"You poor man," Serena said seriously. "Not even the worst scum of the Earth deserve such a fate."

Grant sighed. "I miss eating it so much." He looked at Korrina. "Say, if I just go out for ice cream _once-_"

"No!" Korrina snapped. "Never let go! Never surrender! Yours are the muscles that will make the future bright!"

"Um, thanks," Grant said and sighed even deeper.

"No problem!" Korrina said cheerfully. "My slogans are just as delicious as candy, with no adverse effects. Anyway, these two want to challenge you. I'm off to get me some galettes!"

"Yeah, and _I'm_ battling first!" Serena told Grant. "You at least seem like the first sane gym leader in this region."

Before Korrina left, Serena could hear laugh derisively. She wondered what that meant, but decided it wasn't worth thinking about. With the introductions out of the way, Grant led Serena and Calem to his gym. Instead of a normal building, it was a cave carved into the mountain next to the city.

As rustic as it looked from the outside, the gym was much bigger than expected on the inside. At the back of the cave flowed an underground river, with a waterfall constantly crashing to provide atmosphere. The middle and the largest part of the gym was dominated by a tall, rocky hill with artificial walls built on it. These walls had plenty of colorful holds for climbing, which already gave Serena a bad feeling.

"So," Grant said and turned to Serena and Calem, "I bet you're both wondering-"

"We're gonna have to climb, aren't we?" Serena groaned. "How do you expect me to do it in this dress?"

"There's a changing room back there," Grant said quickly. "Not that it should matter – a true trainer should be able to face any challenge, clothes or no clothes. You see..." Grant took a moment to breathe deep. "You have any idea what being a gym leader is like? Not a moment's rest, always training, taking on kids who can't even handle their Pokémon. Most people who come here trying to get a badge frankly _suck_! It drives me nuts! I'm always wondering, 'how do I truly separate the dedicated ones from the riffraff?' And that's when it hit me – a challenge!"

There was an insane glint in Grant's eyes as he spoke, looking into the distance. Serena went back on her earlier assumptions.

"Well, shoot," Calem said nervously. "And here I am, leaving my climbing shoes back home! This one's all yours, Serena! I'mma come back when I'm, uh, better prepared. I'll be rooting for you from down here, though."

Grant scoffed at him. "You future doesn't look bright, kid."

"Huh?"

"Nothing," Grant said quickly. "Now, Serena – prepare yourself!"

One of the trainers borrowed Serena some gym clothes, and soon enough, she stood at the foot of the cliff, looking up. It was an almost vertical climb – she would definitely get blisters. Grant stood next to her, arms crossed and a megaphone in one hand and a stopwatch in the other for some reason.

"Are you ready to begin your ascent?" Grant asked softly.

Serena wasn't, but she wasn't going to let Grant know that. "Absolutely!" she said, injecting as much bravado as she could into that word. "I just need-"

"ALL RIGHT THEN!" Grant roared, his voice doing a complete one-eighty all of a sudden. "What are you waiting for, Bastille Day? Get a move on, you puke! One-two, one-two, one-two!"

"What are you-"

"I SAID MOVE IT!"

"R-right..."

Serena grabbed on to the highest holds she could reach, putting one foot on another one and began climbing. As she climbed a few feet, she turned to look at Grant.

"Hey," she said, "shouldn't I get a harness or a safety rope or someth-"

"A SAFETY ROPE?!" Grant bellowed. "What do you think this is, the Fairy-type gym? Or would you like me to make you one out of _flowers_?! 'CAUSE I'M VERY GOOD AT THAT, YOU KNOW! Now climb!"

"But-"

"CLIMB!"

Serena clenched her teeth and climbed, though she would have a few choice words to say to Grant after all this was done. Calem was looking at her climbing from a bench at the ground, sitting safely and munching on popcorn, waving at Serena so cheerfully that it made Serena want to rip his teeth out. Serena continued climbing, which would have been a lot easier if Grant didn't keep screaming at her.

"_Are you about done before I retire?!_" he yelled into the megaphone. "_This is one of the worst times I've ever seen! My granny could climb this wall better than you_!"

"Just please don't end that with a grim punchline," Serena muttered.

"_And she came in _fourth _place at the indoor climbing contest at her retirement home! __FOURTH__! It's not silver, it's not bronze, it's _NOTHING!"

Serena shook her head, trying to ignore Grant's taunts. She'd show her. She'd show the whole damn world once she was done. And the first decree she would pass once she ruled Kalos, after banning the use of fedoras, was banning gyms like this under penalty of guillotine.

"_What's the matter, __forgot your hand cream?! __Stopped to admire the VIEW?!__ You make me sick, you weed! You maggot! __My granny's limping old Scutterbug would be more worthy for this gym!_"

_Oh he did not just_, Serena thought as she stopped to wipe some sweat off her face. _Did he compare me to a disgusting_ _bug? An _insect_?_

"_THAT'S RIGHT_!" Grant yelled. "_I just compared you to an insect! What are you going to do about it?!_"

Serena saw red after that. Grabbing another hold so tight she almost crushed it, she disregarded all safety and just ascended as quickly as possible. Grant kept yelling insults and taunts, but they all became just noise to her. All that mattered was getting up. And little by little, Serena pulled herself higher and higher, eventually not even hearing Grant yelling anything. The hill didn't seem that high, but Serena didn't stop to check. She didn't look down, she just climbed.

Finally, when her arms felt like she had anvils strapped on them, Serena dragged herself up at the top of the hill. Breathing heavily but still smiling at her accomplishment, Serena looked down – only to not see Grant anywhere.

"Sup?"

Serena turned around – and there Grant was, standing on the other side of the small battlefield built on the hill's summit.

"What?!" Serena panted. "How did you even-"

"Elevator," Grant said, his voice back to calm and his demeanor back to polite. "Excellent job climbing the wall, by the way. It's not a record time or anything, but it's still one of the better times this week."

For some reason, Serena was very annoyed, even when Grant was being polite. Maybe it was due to the fact that she barely had energy to lift her arms yet was expected to have a Pokémon battle right away.

"So," Serena said, trying to catch her breath. "How many Poké Balls?"

"How many have you got?" Grant asked in return.

"...what?"

"Yeah, see, I'm looking for a challenge," Grant said calmly. "I have two Pokémon – you can pretty much use everything you have."

"You sure?" Serena asked. "This doesn't seem too fair."

"Fairness only works in controlled circumstances," Grant said. "If you're cornered by criminals, all of them using several Pokémon at once, they're not going to stop to play by the rules. Besides, I want to challenge myself. I'm sure you'll get something out of this, too."

"All right," Serena sighed – at least something was looking up today. "So, what's your type gimmick, then? Steel? Grass? Ice?"

"I deal in the hardest type of them all," Grant said, Serena hoping he'd say steel. "The impenetrable, extremely defensive, all-around toughest of all types..."

"Uh huh," Serena said. "Steel?"

"ROCK!" Grant announced. "All my Pokémon are of the rock-type!"

_Aww shhhhhhoot_.

"Amaura, I choose YOU!" Grant yelled – did he have to keep doing that?

Serena was overtaken by the cuteness of this Pokémon that she had never seen before. It was a light blue, dinosaurian creature with a long neck, a little stubby tail, big, pink sail-like ears and two big, absolutely adorable blue eyes. The way it smiled bashfully at Serena made her squee out loud.

"Yeah, do that all you want," Grant said, "but you're dealing with a Pokémon that was regenerated from body parts buried in ice for a hundred million years! It comes from an era where only the strongest survived, something you'll soon witness."

"Whatever," Serena scoffed. "Fletchinder, go!"

Serena sent out her trusty, orange flying-type. Though Charmeleon and Combusken had replaced Fletchinder as her most trusty fighters, she still had a lot of affection for the bird, and she was sure something as cute as Amaura wouldn't put up much of a fight, type advantage or not. Besides, it looked to be partly an ice-type.

"All right, Fletchinder!" Serena commanded. "Ember!"

"Thunder Wave!" Grant yelled quickly.

A thin stream of electricity erupted from Amaura's ears, wrapping around Fletchinder before the flying-type could make a move and paralyzing it, which caused Serena to cringe. Grant didn't waste time with the battle, though.

"Now, Rock Tomb!" he yelled.

Amaura became outlined in white energy as it summoned a ring of sharp rocks which rained downed on the paralyzed Fletchinder, knocking it out immediately. Serena blinked for a while, unsure what had just happened, but eventually withdrew Fletchinder while Grant cheered on his Amaura.

"That was just a fluke," Serena insisted. "Fennekin, go!"

Surely, Serena believed, her starter, her most beloved and cherished Pokémon, her trusty fire fox, would wipe the floor with this smug yet adorable dinosaur in no time.

"Give 'em a taste of your Psybeam!" Serena ordered.

Fennekin nodded enthusiastically and complied – but though the Psybeam hit, Amaura didn't even seem fazed. Grant ordered a Take Down, but Serena was quick to tell Fennekin to dodge, which she did, easily skipping out of the slow Amaura's way.

"Ain't got nothin' on my speed," Serena said. "Fennekin, another Psybeam!"

"Thunder Wave!" Grant commanded.

Fennekin was quicker, but once again, the Psybeam bounced off Amaura and didn't seem to do much damage at all. Before Fennekin could run out of the way, Amaura's Thunder Wave had paralyzed it, too.

"Stop doing that!" Serena snapped.

"Uh, nope!" Grant said cheerfully. "Finish it off with Take Down!"

Fennekin couldn't move out of the way this time, and was almost flattened when Amaura used its entire weight to crush the poor thing. With Fennekin unable to battle, Serena withdrew it. She was two Pokémon down while Grant's first Pokémon didn't even look tired.

"Fire foxes do tend to crash," Grant quipped. "Eh?"

Serena shuddered. "Okay, what now? You said I could use as many Pokémon as I want, right?"

"Absolutely," Grant nodded. "Bring it on and me Amaura will take 'em out. After all, the art of steamrolling our opponents has been passed down my family line FOR GENERATIONS!"

Serena pondered her options. Speed wasn't an asset, as Amaura could just Thunder Wave everything. And clearly psychic-attacks were a no-go. Maybe that thing's hide could withstand _all_ special attacks?

"In that case," Serena said and tossed out another Poké Ball, "go, Charmeleon!"

Charmeleon roared and breathed fire upon coming out, flexing her muscles and showboating to the Amaura, who just tilted its head in interest.

"Do _not_ let that thing paralyze you!" Serena stressed. "Now use Flamethrower!"

Charmeleon blasted Amaura with flames – but Amaura didn't even try to dodge. It soaked up all the fire, and while it didn't seem to enjoy it, the damage was still negligible. But that was exactly what Serena had counted on.

"Rock Tomb!" Grant ordered.

"Double Team!" Serena countered.

Before Charmeleon could be pelted with rocks, she created multiple copies of herself and surrounded Amaura with them, confusing the little dinosaur.

"Now Dragon Rage!" Serena yelled. "And make it a big one!"

The tip of her tail burning bright, Charmeleon blasted Amaura with the biggest orb of orange fire it could manage. This time, Amaura could not withstand the attack and was finally knocked out. Serena cheered for Charmeleon, who blew smoke out of her nostrils proudly, while Grant withdrew Amaura.

"Finally!" he taunted. "I was beginning to think you'd be one of the _many_ other trainers I could whoop with just one Pokémon. Digging the whole fire-theme you have, though it's making things just a _bit_ too easy for me."

"Are we here to talk or battle?" Serena asked, getting her confidence back. "Send out your next Pokémon!"

Grant smiled. "You asked for it. Tyrunt, go!"

Tyrunt was another dinosaur-like Pokémon, only grayish-brown in color, with a huge head and a big mouth full of sharp fangs. It hissed aggressively at Charmeleon and otherwise acted completely unlike Amaura did.

Serena ordered another Dragon Rage, but Charmeleon's attack missed as the Tyrunt charged at her, moving surprisingly quickly. As Grant ordered a Bite, Tyrunt sank its teeth into Charmeleon's arm. The experience looked painful, and while Serena yelled at Charmeleon to swing her arm and wriggle free of its grip, Tyrunt was far too strong and heavy and eventually lifted Charmeleon in the air instead, slamming her on the ground. Before Charmeleon could get up, a Rock Tomb knocked her out, forcing Serena to withdraw her.

"So, got any left?" Grant asked as Tyrunt ran back to him, allowing Grant to pat its spiky head. "'Cause me and Tyrunt can go on all day."

Serena remained calm – no matter what Grant would say, he wouldn't get under her skin. Again. And she did have one left – one last, _conclusive_ Pokémon.

"Combusken, go!"

Combusken stretched its limbs and kicked the air a couple of times for good measure, while Tyrunt left Grant's side and walked towards it calmly. Grant was just observing the situation, leaving the first move to Serena.

"Get that thing!" Serena yelled. "Use Double Kick!"

"Bide," Grant said simply.

Serena wasn't sure what Bide did, and didn't want to call off the attack either. Tyrunt just stayed still and glowed bright red as Combusken kicked it twice, Tyrunt managing to absorb the attacks with just a slight flinch. As Serena ordered Combusken to attack again, Combusken only got one kick to land before Tyrunt unleashed the energy it had stored in the form of a destructive red beam that threw Combusken halfway across the arena. Combusken landed on its back and struggled to get up. It was slightly moving and not yet knocked out, but not far from it, either.

"Time to wrap it up," Grant said. "Rock Tomb!"

Tyrunt's eyes glowed white just like Amaura's did, and soon jagged rocks appeared in a ring above it before they launched themselves towards Combusken while Serena thought feverishly about what to do.

"Rock Smash!" she yelled.

Serena had taught Combusken that attack just to look for treasure on the beach, having previously found it too weak in battle. But Combusken didn't even need to get up to use this one, it just swung its wing in an arch-shaped motion, its claws smashing the oncoming rocks into bits. As it dragged itself up, Serena cheered while Grant looked satisfied.

"All right," he said. "Glad to see this isn't over yet. Tyrunt, Bide again, quickly!"

_Oh no. Fool me twice, shame on Serena_!

"Sand-Attack!" Serena yelled.

Combusken swiped the ground with its claws, sending sand flying on Tyrunt's face, blinding it, but leaving it unable to retaliate as it was still storing energy. Serena ordered another Rock Smash, making Combusken lunge towards Tyrunt and chop it with its wing. Tyrunt, hurt by the attack, tried to unleash the stored energy, but the beam missed this time, and with one more Double Kick, Tyrunt was knocked out.

Grunt raised his eyebrows at this, but eventually, and confusingly, started cheering as he withdrew Tyrunt, while Serena ran to give Combusken a hug for a job well done.

"That was incredible!" Grant praised as he walked over to shake hands with Serena again. "I haven't had a fight like this in ages! Perhaps you were the one – the one wall I was unable to surmount! You and your Combusken were a great team, and for that, I give you this! The Cliff Badge!"

Serena's shiny new badge, and her second official one, was brown and gray, shaped like a rock-climbing wall, unsurprisingly enough. Still, she was proud to attach this one to her new purse.

"Well," Serena said, trying hard to contain her elation. "I mean, if you would have allowed only two Poké Balls, I probably wouldn't have – _oh, I can't take it anymore!_ Yes! I won! I'm the best there ever was! WHOO!"

"I guess you earned it," Grant sighed as he smiled at Serena's antics. "Sorry I was a bit hard on ya. I want to challenge myself, but to do that, I have to make sure my opponents are challenged too. I didn't mean any of that stuff I said back there."

"Yeah, whatever," Serena said. "I'm still a bit mad at you for the bug comparison, but this badge will take us a long way towards reconciliation!"

Fortunately, Serena didn't have to climb down, as Grant showed her to the elevator. As they were down at the ground again, Calem congratulated Serena for her new badge, and Serena was feeling too good to reply with an insult. Though seeing Grant lose made Calem forget about cowering out of the battle before, claiming that he would beat Grant even faster 'once he was ready for a battle'.

"That's the spirit, kid," Grant told Calem. "If nothing else works, a total disregard for the facts will get you to places!"

"Thanks!" Calem said obliviously.

"So I take it you two are professor Sycamore's students?" Grant asked, to Serena's surprise. "Yeah, Viola and her sister told all us gym leaders about that," he explained. "I don't know _what_ you're studying, exactly, but if you're interested, I have a big library out back. I've collected a lot of books in my days of traveling, and of course being a gym leader, I get tons of free stuff."

"Reaaaaaaaally?" Serena asked as she rubbed her chin. "Books about what?"

"Oh, you name it, I have it," Grant said proudly. "All kinds of stuff about Kalos history, facts about all Pokémon, stuff about evolution-"

"Oh, I'd _love_ to see it!" Serena said quickly. "Um, please," she added calmly after catching herself. "But I do need to get to the Pokémon Center first."

"Why go through all that trouble?" Grant said excitedly. "I have a healing machine there as well!"

Serena frowned a bit. "Oh? Well... that's convenient. All right, show me the way."

"Books," Calem scoffed and yawned without bothering to cover his mouth. "Count me out. I'm going out to train. But I'll be here soon, Grant, and then we'll see who's who."

Grant rolled his eyes and led Serena to the dressing room while Calem left. After Serena had changed back to her dress, Grant took her to the library. At the very back of the cave, behind the waterfall, was a door leading to a hidden room. As Grant opened it, Serena was treated with a view of dozen of shelves, all crammed full of literature. It was probably ten times more expansive than the library at the Parfum Palace, which briefly made Serena forget all her concerns.

"This is amazing!" Serena praised.

"Yup," Grant said. "There's the healing machine!"

Serena walked over to the machine and put all her four Poké Balls in it. As the machine did its thing, however, she took a closer look at the room. The only exit was the door they came through, and there was only one small window carved in the stone wall. The window was slightly open, letting air flow into the room, but had thick steel bars making sure nothing could squeeze through it, not that most people would even fit, anyway. Serena felt Grant staring at her, so she quickly took the Poké Balls out once she was done.

"So," she asked Grant. "Give me an example of the stuff you have."

"Okay, well," Grant said and turned around to inspect the nearest shelf, muttering to himself as he tried to find a specific book.

Once Grant's back was turned, Serena acted quickly. She picked the Poké Ball she needed, whispered something at it, slipped her hand through the bars in the window and pressed the button to make the Poké Ball bigger before dropping it on the ground. Before Grant turned around, Serena quickly pulled her hand away from the window and slowly put her remaining Poké Balls in her bag, making sure Grant would see her do so.

"This is the library's pride and joy," Grant said and showed a very large, thick book. "The latest, up-to-date Pokémon encyclopedia with lots of info about... yeah, I don't even remember how many Pokémon there are now. They keep discovering new ones and it's making my head spin."

"Yeah, that really confuses me too," Serena said innocently and closed her purse.

"There's books on pretty much all Pokémon," Grant said as he looked around the room, "and lots of detail about them that even this book doesn't have. Habitat, moves that they know, their history, their anatomy... but my collection is still not complete."

"How so?"

"Well, I don't think I have any books on legendary Pokémon. Man, what I would give to have one of those, but they don't write too many detailed, interesting books on them, you know."

"All too well," Serena said as she narrowed her eyes at Grant. "So, what _would_ you give for a book about legendaries? One of these?"

"Oh, even for a glimpse of a book like that, I'd give _ten_ of these!"

Serena smiled. "It just happens to be your lucky day..."

Serena opened her bag again and pulled the book she had _obtained_ from Parfum Palace out. The cover had an illustration of what Serena believed to be Xerneas, based on the vague descriptions about it. On the back, there was an artist's rendition of another Pokémon, a red and black bird of some kind. Grant looked mesmerized at the sight of the book when Serena handed it to him, flipping through random pages with his eyes wide.

"Amazing!" he whispered as he flipped through the pages. "Where'd you get this?"

"Library of the Parfum Palace," Serena said casually.

"But I thought they didn't let people take them away there?"

"Well," Serena said awkwardly, hands behind her back as she looked away innocently. "I may have bended that rule just a bit on this occasion-"

No more than a second after Serena finished saying that, two people in black trench coats stormed in, flashing what appeared to be police badges at Serena and Grant.

"Freeze! CCPD!" one of them yelled.

"Serena of Vaniville Town," the other one said and pulled handcuffs from his pocket without waiting for a confirmation, "the International Police has placed a warrant for your arrest! Detective, confiscate her bag!"

Serena was surprised, but not devastated by this sudden act and didn't resist as the other detective approached her warily, as if he was afraid of her, and yanked her new purse away.

"Oof!" he said as he struggled to carry it. "Heavier than it looks."

"Are her Poké Balls there?" the other detective asked Grant, who just nodded, not bothering to make eye contact with Serena or the police.

Serena turned to glare at him.

"You set me up," she in a slow, monotonous manner. She didn't even sound angry or shocked.

"I..." Grant sighed and handed the book to the detective holding Serena's bag. "I didn't want to. I was honest when I praised you – you gave me the best battle I've had in a long while, and you treat your Pokémon better than most trainers I meet. But when I was told you're a criminal... sorry, Serena, but this is my duty as a gym leader."

Serena shook her head and turned away from Grant in disgust to glare at the detectives instead.

"On what grounds are you arresting me, exactly?" she asked.

"Read the charges," the other detective told the one holding Serena's bag.

"Serena of Vaniville Town, you are being placed under arrest for the following acts," he said while reading off a list. "Several counts of arson, theft of antique literature, _misuse_ of antique literature, appearing under a false identity, extortion, assault, ocular pokage, sassing of social betters, _wanton_ sassing of social betters and disruptive public behavior."

"So is a third guy going to jump in saying that this was just a joke?" Serena deadpanned. "Because it sounds like one to me."

But the detective apparently in charge put Serena in handcuffs. Again, she didn't resist, just looked irritated at the situation.

"You have the right to remain silent," the detective escorting her away said.

"But not an obligation, right?"

"Uh, right."

"Good," Serena said. "Grant!" she yelled at the gym leader. "Mark my words! You'll regret ever doing this! These charges won't stick! And once my regime is in control, don't expect to ever see your Pokémon trainer's license again! And the media will _never_ stop hounding you! Your career as an athlete will be over! KNEEL BEFORE SERENA!"

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Interrogation room, Cyllage City Police Station, Cyllage City, Kalos**_

_**Present day, heh... present time! Hahahahahahaha!**_

"And that's pretty much what happened," Serena told the detectives.

"What, exactly?" the other detective asked impatiently. "You said you'd tell us everything and then you were quiet for _fifteen minutes_!"

"Look, I still haven't figured out the _exact_ way flashbacks work, gimme a break!"

Serena scratched her nose and glanced at her Pokémon, then went back to looking at her nails and humming casually, much to the frustration of the detectives. Immediately afterward, Charmeleon started hissing and growling at the detectives and the Conkeldurr, who cracked their knuckles at her threateningly, but this only encouraged her to growl more.

"Tell that thing to stop!" one of the detectives yelled at Serena.

"Charmeleon, dear," Serena said pleasantly. "Stop doing that, please."

But Charmeleon didn't stop, and instead breathed fire at the Conkeldurr. In response, the other Conkeldurr grabbed her and forced her mouth closed.

"Oh dear," Serena said. "She must be frustrated. Oh, well, can't help it. At least I'll have Fennekin and Combusken here with me."

"Take it away," one of the detectives grunted at the Conkeldurr.

Leaving the other Conkeldurr alone with Serena's remaining Pokémon, the Conkeldurr holding Charmander carried her away into the back room. As Serena had suspected, when Charmeleon's brightly burning tail appeared into the darkened room, the 'mirror' at the back of the wall briefly became a window. Even with a quick glance, Serena could see a familiar detective wearing a brown trench coat yelling at the Conkeldurr, and standing next to him was none other than Calem. Smiling at her suspicions being proven correct, Serena quickly went back to inspecting her nails, the window turning into a one-way mirror once more as the back room became dark again.

"This is pointless," the other detective complained to his partner. "Bring him in!"

"All right," the detective's partner grunted. "Well, Serena," he said, while Serena just looked at her with a polite smile. "If you don't want to talk to us, perhaps someone else is more to your liking!"

The two detectives left. The remaining Conkeldurr grabbed Fennekin and Combusken and took them away from the room as well. For a few seconds, Serena was all alone, but then the door opened again and the detective in the brown trench coat arrived. Looker looked like a man who had just won all the lotteries in the wold, hands carelessly in his pockets as he strutted around the room, giving the occasional victorious smirk at Serena, who continued to sit calmly.

"So, Serena," Looker said dramatically after a moment of silence, "at last, we meet."

"Um, we've met before," Serena pointed out.

"I meant – sheesh! Why do you people always insist on correcting me?! It's getting really old. Ahem, anyway..." Looker continued to walk around the room. "You've kept a low profile so far, but that one little slip-up you made was costly. At last, I have you in my grasp."

Serena yawned. "I've been good, by the way."

Looker frowned at Serena and then sat opposite to her, occupying the chair one of the detectives had sat on. He took his wallet from his pocket, grabbed a small photo from it and put it on the table in front of Serena, who picked it up lazily.

"Gaze upon that picture," Looker said, "and tell me if you recognize who's in it."

Serena looked and cringed a bit, feeling her stomach being upset at the sight of it. It was a photo of Looker himself and the Pokémon he was posing with: a Croagunk wearing a deerstalker hat like that famous detective from that book Serena couldn't name at the moment.

"It's a good picture of you," Serena said and tried to give it back to Looker.

Looker closed his eyes and sighed. "Who is the _other_ one in the photo?"

"It's your Croagunk," Serena said quietly.

"Oh, so you _do_ remember," Looker said and snatched the picture away.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened to him!" Serena snapped. "And I will admit that I played a part, even if I didn't mean to! But I'm not going to take all the blame, and if all this is because of _that_, then you're just insane. And this is coming from _me_!

"Sorry, huh?" Looker said as he drummed the table with his fingers. "Does that mean you regret what you did?"

"I didn't want anyone to get hurt back there," Serena said firmly, "but if I had to do, I'd do it all again. You couldn't understand."

Looker scoffed. "Well, we'll see how _that_ attitude serves you when you're doing twenty to ten in the pen. I mean, ten to tw- you're going to jail! And if it's up to me, you'll stay there as well!"

Serena rolled her eyes. "For all that stuff in that list?" she laughed. "Okay, I really have to ask - extortion?"

"Yup," Looker said. "Some trainers between Ambrette and Cyllage have said that they were forced to pay you twice the amount they usually would have to after losing to you."

"I had a frickin' Amulet Coin! Don't ask me how it works."

"I know, but can you prove it?" Looker gloated. "It's mine and those trainers' words against yours, and guess who the judge and jury will favor more?"

"None of that will ever stick," Serena said calmly and leaned back in her chair.

"Doesn't have to," Looker said and leaned back too, smiling smugly. "As long as I get _some_ of that to stick, with the help of my acquaintances, I can expose you as the menace to society that you are. You'll be put in jail for at least a couple of years, and during that time, I can gather so much evidence against you that they'll be too afraid to ever let you walk free again. Though I doubt I even have to, considering your temperament. You'll probably be burning people left and right there."

Serena just continued smiling, which rattled Looker off a bit.

"That's a very nice dress you're wearing, by the way," he said.

"Why thank you," Serena responded.

"Yes... see, I have a niece who's about your size, and she'll _love _that. After all, they're probably going to repossess your belongings to pay for your legal fees."

Serena's smile faded.

"Nobody takes my clothes," she said threateningly.

Looker laughed. "You're being awfully calm," he observed, "and I must commend you for that. How do you do it?"

"Oh, I'm just waiting for my lawyer to get here," Serena said breezily.

Looker scowled at her. "We haven't appointed you one yet."

"Oh, not a literal lawyer, sorry," Serena corrected herself. "More like... a representative."

Looker scowled even more and was about to say something, when he was interrupted by funky, slightly muffled music coming from the hallway. And even more weirdly, it was accompanied by singing.

"_Who's the hot doc who charms all the ladies with his science_~?" sang a male voice.

"_Sycamore~_!" sang a female one.

Looker stared at the door in confusion. "What is that?!" he wondered and turned to look at Serena. "What in the world is that?!"

Serena continued to lean back and smile triumphantly, enjoying as Looker got more and more agitated. Soon enough, the door was opened and professor Sycamore stepped in, flanked by his assistants Sina and Dexio, who were supplying the music from him, the latter playing it from his phone.

"Right on~," sang Dexio. "You see this cat Augustine is a bad mother-"

"Shut your mouth~!" sang Sina.

"But I'm talking about Sycamore~!"

"Then we can dig it~!"

"He's a complicated man but no one understands him but his barber~!"

"Professor Sycamore~!"

Sycamore raised his hand, prompting Dexio to kill the music. As Sina and Dexio left the room, Looker stared at the professor with his mouth open while Serena clapped sarcastically.

"Thank you, thank you," Sycamore said smoothly. "Ah, detective Looker, _très heureux_! I've wanted to meet you for a while now."

"Uh... luh-likewise, professor," Looker stuttered as he shook hands with Sycamore. "For a while, I... Ms. Serena here said her representative was coming, and I-"

"_Oui_, that would be me," Sycamore said and gave Looker a piece of paper. "I just dropped by to deliver these documents that I'm sure you just forgot while you were making your investigation. I would have never made it in time if it wasn't for this ingenious Pokémon."

Sycamore opened the Poké Ball he had brought with him, letting out Serena's Fletchinder who immediately flew on its trainer's shoulder. Sycamore tossed the Poké Ball at Serena as well, while Looker looked like he had been punched in the face.

"But..." he said. "You..."

"Yes, I agree, let's get down to business, no time to waste," Sycamore said. "That document right there is a signed testimony from the owner of the Parfum Palace where he expressly says that he will not press charges concerning the alleged theft of his book, which the owner has agreed to donate to Serena. And here..."

Sycamore gave Looker a bundle of papers. Serena covered her mouth to hide her laughing.

"...are signed documents from the palace's entire staff, all of whom will testify for Serena and have also expressed that they will not press any charges either. And here is another signed testimony from a researcher working for Ambrette Town's Fossil Lab, who not only thanks Serena for driving out criminals from the Glittering Cave, but also points out that it was the jurisdiction of the Cyllage City Police, who failed to do anything about them. And _this_ is from the owner of the Battle Chateau, who has agreed to promote Serena to Marchioness for the previously mentioned act of bravery and will personally compensate for any damages she may have caused. I apologize if my student gave you any trouble, and I've also donated some money to your Bureau, hoping to co-operate in the future. Thank you and have a nice day! I suppose Serena can go now?"

Looker, holding the bundle of papers in confusion, didn't seem to know what to say. After rubbing Fletchinder's chin and thanking it for a job well done, Serena withdrew the flying-type and followed Sycamore out of the room and away from the police station, all the while feeling Looker's death glare on her neck.

Outside the police station, Serena exhaled in relief.

"Thanks," she told Sycamore. "Guess I owe you one."

"Yup," Sycamore just said. "Or two or three, but we can talk about that later. I'm sure I turned a few heads with my fabulous entrance, anyway, and that made it worth the effort. I'm also interested in knowing how in the world," Sycamore gave Serena a crumpled piece of paper, "did you manage to get Fletchinder to deliver this to me without anyone noticing."

Serena grinned.

"Grant was being _way_ too eager to show me his books," Serena explained. "Plus I could see it in his eyes, anyway – the man's no good at keeping secrets. While I was changing, I scribbled this note and told Fletchinder what to do just in case. Really, though, that was some quick thinking on your part, getting all those papers."

"Actually," Sycamore rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "I already had some of those ready in case something like this happened. See, I kind of saw this coming after that talk I had with Tierno and Trevor-"

"Are they all right?" Serena asked quickly.

Sycamore nodded. "Dropped them off outside Lumiose, along with Shauna. They're on their way to Shalour to meet a local Mega Evolution guru there."

"I knew it!" Serena said. "There _is_ someone there who knows about it!"

"And they may have something about that certain Pokémon you were interested in as well," Sycamore muttered.

Serena looked up at the professor. "But why all the help?"

"Well, you're the most fashion-conscious person besides _moi_ that I know, so-"

"No, seriously."

Sycamore dropped the act. "I... well, for one, I really don't care for that Looker. There's just something _wrong_ about him, so sticking it to him feels pretty good, not gonna lie. I also had a few conversations with your mother and promised to help you on your trip, so that should be enough, right?"

Serena wasn't convinced, but dropped the issue for now. _Why is he so chummy with my mom_?

"And hey, maybe with you in charge, this will be a more beautiful world," Sycamore laughed. "Though I'm curious. You didn't seem to want Calem to know about this. Is he-"

Serena nodded quickly, glancing around her. "They're in cahoots," she muttered. "But I don't want them to know I know yet, so don't let anyone know you know I know."

"Um... I don't think I could even if I wanted to. But why would he do that?"

"I'll get it out of him," Serena said, smiling to herself just thinking about the ways she would make Calem 'fess up. "But he's pretty good at acting innocent, so I have to wait for the right moment."

Sycamore nodded, then looked over Serena's shoulder. "Ah, speak of the devil."

"Calem?!"

"Nah. Grant."

Serena turned around to see Grant cycling towards them, looking uncharacteristically exhausted. He stopped his bike inches away from Serena and Sycamore, jumped off the bike and started babbling nervously.

"I'm so sorry!" he said. "I just heard that you were innocent! I can't believe that Looker guy harassed you like that!"

"Well," Serena said quietly, thinking about the photo with Looker's hand over his Croagunk's shoulder, both of them smiling widely at the camera, "I think I can kind of understand where's coming from..."

Grant gulped. "They really convinced me that you were guilty and they made me co-operate, but I never-"

"It's all right," Serena assured. "And I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean that stuff I said – I just didn't want to blow the whole plan right away. You can't have the book, though. 'Cause it's mine."

"It's fine," Grant assured. "Just promise me that we'll have a rematch one day!"

"Oh, I'm _always_ looking forward to teaching people exactly why I'm the best there ever was."

"Also..." Grant pushed his bicycle closer to Serena. "You can have this. I have like three of these back home, anyway, and I don't want to make you walk everywhere! It's really convenient, you can even fold it and put it in your bag when you're not using it – somehow."

"Wow, thanks!" Serena said as she took the bike. "This almost makes up for all that stuff you said."

"Aren't you a nice person," Sycamore smiled at Grant, who looked a little nervous after Serena's 'almost'. "Love the hair. Oh, by the way, Serena, I have something to give to you, too."

"People just want to shower me with stuff today," Serena muttered.

But she wasn't going to say no, especially when she saw what it was: a brown Pokémon egg with white stripes that she took carefully from Sycamore.

"I can hatch this?" she asked. "Awesome! Ooh, I hope it's a fire-type!"

"Sina and Dexio just found it one day, but we don't have time for it - science doesn't do itself - so we decided to give it to someone who'd take good care of it. Since we couldn't find anyone like that, we gave it to you."

"What a terrible thing to say," Serena said happily as she wrapped her parka around the egg, "but I don't even care, this day has just been awesome! A badge, a bike, an egg and I got to humiliate Looker. I'd give this day, like, an eight out of ten."

Serena hopped on her new bike, putting the egg carefully in the depths of her impossibly roomy purse.

"Bye, guys!" she waved at Grant and Sycamore. "I'm gonna find Calem, and then it's off to Shalour City!"

* * *

**_A/N: As always, thank you all for reading and sticking with this story. If it wasn't for you... well, I'd be doing this anyway, but the feedback really helps and feels good. Sorry for a grievous mistake in the previous chapter - won't happen again. I'm pretty happy about how this turned out; not only did I get it done really quickly, but I like the plot. So far, Serena's been pretty straightforwardly brutal with her evil plans, so here's her displaying some subtlety for once, showing us exactly why she's a force to be reckoned with. Next chapter, "The Tower of Mastery", coming soon._**

**_\- Zokolov_**


	8. The Tower of Mastery

"Welcome again, _mes amis_, to Sycamore's Story Corner! As you can deduce from my visit to Cyllage City, old Augustine is far more than just a pretty face and an amazing haircut. It's my ingenuity that allows this silliness to continue. But professor, I hear you ask in my voice because I don't know what you sound like, if you think this is all so silly, why do you continue to be a part of it? Well... let's just say that I want to see how it ends. Plus I get page time this way – and no story is perfect without Sycamore."

"As Serena and her compatriots approach the Tower of Mastery, one must ask themselves – what does it mean, to be a Pokémon Master? Well, maybe that is a question beyond the scope of our adventures, but there are many stories to contemplate upon that. Like the one about worlds colliding, or that delightful romp about the loser and her log... wait, I'm not saying this junk! Those stories are probably terrible anyway! I'm going out to lunch! Shalour City, whatever, enjoy!"

**Chapter Eight: _The Tower of Mastery_**

"_Serena's journal:_

_When I threatened Calem that I would leave him behind if he didn't stop being such dead weight, he finally stepped up his game and got the Cyllage City badge. Now we're even in terms of badges and Calem keeps pestering me to battle him. But what good is battling someone way out of my league like that? My Pokémon would just probably get weaker or something. Speaking of which, Fletchinder evolved into Talonflame the other day. We bumped into more of those weird people in orange suits on our way to Geosenge Town, but nothing major came out of it_."

Back on Route 10, or Menhir Trail, Team Flare grunts were running around, screaming in fear, many of them with their clothes on fire, escaping the insane Pokémon Trainer in the stylish dress and her fire-type Pokémon, who kept singing at them while she and her Pokémon shot flames in random directions.

"Hellfire~" Serena sang, "dark fire, run away or you will buuuuuurn~!"

"_Such an eventful day that was! Calem was __as __helpful as __he always __is__, hiding behind one of those weird __stones __that we found all around Route 10 and Geosenge Town. __Speaking of which, what are those things? __They're __these strange menhirs that seem to be arranged in a pattern. I asked around the people there, but everyone had their own theories about them. Someone told me that a Unovan scientist had said that these stones emit some kind of special energy. __Another one said aliens.__ If it's anything to help me take over this fair land, then I have to take a note of that. Wish Shauna was here to do that for me..._"

"Serena!" Calem shouted, prompting Serena to stop writing in annoyance. "We're there! I can see it!"

Serena reluctantly took her eyes off her journal, ready to burn Calem's eyebrows off if she wasn't going to see anything interesting – but it looked like it had been worth the effort. Shalour City was visible just at the foot of the hill Serena and Calem had climbed on, and the view was spectacular. The port town, surrounded by stone walls on all sides, had an amazing seaside view, with a long beach stretching as far as one could see. In the horizon, on an island slightly off the coast, was a tall castle that was also surrounded by walls. Serena instantly checked the bookmarked pages in the two books she was carrying. An old photo of the very same castle, called the 'Tower of Mastery', could be seen in both '_The Transforming Pokémon and the Mysterious Stone_' as well as the unnamed book with Xerneas in the cover. At last, she had arrived.

And someone would burn today.

Serena followed Calem down the hill, into the city and straight to the Pokémon Center, all the while smirking at Calem's back and thinking of ways to expose him... metaphorically speaking, that was. At the Pokémon Center, the duo was in for a surprise, as they were immediately spotted by three familiar faces sitting in the waiting room along with their Pokémon.

There was Tierno, cheerful as always, together with his Corphish, doing a little dance to himself and waving at Serena and Calem. Then there was Trevor and his Flabébé, Trevor glaring at the duo from under his big, orange hair. And finally, there was Shauna, who stopped playing with her Chespin and Squirtle and instead ran to Serena and Calem. Serena was about to brace herself to being hugged, but instead Shauna kept running around the two, chanting over and over:

"Serena! Serena! Sereeeeeeee-na~!" she repeated. "Oh, and Calem too! Hi Calem!"

"Hi," Calem muttered, sounding offended.

"Calm down," Serena laughed at Shauna, and the hyperactive girl stopped, though kept shifting her weight from one foot to the other, as if she just couldn't stay still. "It's nice to see you again, too!"

"Oh my gosh, guys, soooooo much has happened since we last saw each other!" Shauna said so quickly that Serena struggled to keep up. "First – _ahhhh_ that dress is pretty~! Looks awesome on you! Also, that Snorlax you helped me catch has been _soooooooooo_..."

Shauna paused to inhale.

"..._oooooooooo _adorable. I mean, sure, feeding it is tough and all, but I've battled with it a little, and all it has to do is _sit _on its foe and I win! I don't even have to train Chespin or Squirtle so I can just play with them!"

"You've been neglecting your training?" Serena sighed and shook her head. "Oh, well, it's really good to see you too."

"It's been so long since we were all together," Tierno mused. "I think it was when we shot Ser's PR video back in Lumiose."

"I looked amazing in that skirt," Calem reminisced wistfully. "So, what have you two been up to, then?"

"Oh, this and that," Tierno said evasively, glancing at Serena. "There was, uh, a little trouble back in Lumiose City."

As Tierno kept looking at Serena meaningfully, Serena understood, tapping her nose covertly. Calem was oblivious as always.

"Too bad I wasn't there to sort it out for ya," Calem bragged. "My Pokémon just _destroyed_ the Cyllage City gym leader's little runts!"

"On the third try," Serena pointed out. "And I bet he took it easy on you once you almost started crying."

Calem let out a forced laughter.

"Well, I guess I gotta go get my Pokémon healed," he remarked. "You coming, Serena?"

"I think I'll catch up with my _dear friends_ for a while," Serena said smoothly. "You run along first."

"Ooh, great~!" Shauna said cheerfully. "Well, okay, so, you'll never guess which part my new Snorlax likes me to pet the most-"

"Maybe you should catch up with Calem a bit first," Serena interrupted. "I'm sure he missed you during all this."

"Oh... well, all right!"

Shauna looked disappointed, but only for a split-second before she happily ran off to hang in Calem as he waited in line to heal his Pokémon. Serena and the others could hear her enthusiastic chatter all the way from their position, so they moved slightly away, around the corner near the dressing rooms.

There, Tierno and Trevor told Serena what had happened in Lumiose City. Or, to be specific, Tierno did, while Trevor stood quietly and awkwardly still, occasionally glaring up at Serena but turning away whenever Serena turned to look at him. In return, Serena told the two what happened in Cyllage, but decided to wait a bit before getting into the juiciest bit.

"I guess it was good we went to see Sycamore, huh?" Tierno asked.

Serena nodded sagely while contemplating the situation. "That sneaky little... man," she grumbled. "You two aren't the only people close to me he has used, by the way."

Tierno and Trevor looked confused. However, Trevor seemed to get it first, narrowing his eyes at Serena.

"Calem," he said quietly.

Serena nodded. "Well deduced, Trevor."

Tierno shook his head, mouth slightly open in disbelief. "But... how could... are you sure?"

"I knew it as soon as we had that little conversation at Café Soleil," Serena said. "But a few days ago, my suspicions were confirmed. He doesn't know I know, obviously."

"Why would he do that?" Tierno whispered to himself. "We've been friends since we were kids!"

Serena scoffed. "Um, I think this is about _moi_, not _vous_! I don't know _why_ he is trying to help Looker get me, but today, I'll find out as I make him 'fess his dirty deeds. And after that..." Serena smiled and lowered her head, staring forward with a hungry expression on her face. "...I have big plans for him."

Tierno gulped while Trevor looked excited.

"Well, that Looker guy is bad news," Tierno said quietly, "but he was right that there's another crazy guy in Lumiose. That 'doctor' Xerosic gave me the heebie-jeebies. He talked something about his 'glorious leader' and their plan and about how 'only the worthy shall remain'."

"Yet another person who wants to burn," Serena said nonchalantly.

"Serena," Trevor said suddenly.

Serena and Tierno turned to look at him, having to look down and wait for him to get a word out – Trevor seemed to be having an internal struggle of some sort.

"This is not a sign of weakness, you simple-minded fools," Trevor muttered as he stared at the floor. "But... I may not have the necessary powers to put the fear of Trevor in people's hearts on my own. For now, and not out of any sincere desire to help you... I am at your side. And I fully support your endeavors to take over this region and reign over these maggots."

"Aww, thanks, Trevor," Serena said and leaned over to pinch Trevor's cheek. "You are just _adorable_!"

Trevor looked like he wanted to destroy everyone in the room at that moment, but didn't do anything, just narrowed his eyes more and looked uncomfortable.

"Well, I'm all for social change, so I guess I support you too, even if I am bit confused," Tierno said and shrugged. "Also, why'd you send Shauna away? We told her what happened in Lumiose, so I'd think she'd want to know about Cal... Calem. Heck, can I even call him by his nickname anymore? It's like I don't even know him..."

"He's still the same as always, you know," Serena said pointedly. "Thinks he's a hotshot and keeps failing at everything. But even after my suspicions about him were confirmed... I dunno, it wasn't _unbearable_ to travel with him. Maybe I kind of like someone being there just to show the world how awesome I am. That said, I've been traveling with him for many days, so enough already. And as for the Shauna thing..."

Serena turned away from the boys and looked at the ceiling instead awkwardly.

"Well, she's known Calem longer and they're good friends," Serena muttered. "Maybe I don't want her spirits to be crushed when she's as happy as she is now..."

Tierno smiled slyly. "You care about her," he teased.

"I care about everyone an equal amount," Serena said tensely, "and that amount is somewhere between zero and _nothing_!"

"Nuh-uh," Tierno said coyly. "You care about us, too! Come on, admit it! Aren't we all just a big merry group of friends now?"

"I will burn your eyeballs off."

"Okay, well," Tierno said quickly, "who wants to get going to meet the Mega Evolution guru? Oh, speaking of which..."

Tierno gave Serena a small, colorful and very intriguing-looking stone. Serena looked at it, then at Tierno in confusion.

"I found it on the way here," Tierno explained. "Might be nothing, _or_ it might be related to Mega Evolution. Thought it looked intriguing."

"Very intriguing indeed," Serena mused as she put it in her pocket. "I'll have to ask the guru about that – bet it's important, though! Now come on, let's go grab Shauna and Calem get going to the Tower of Mastery!"

"Right behind ya, Ser!" Tierno said. "Love the dress, by the way!"

"You're not the first to do so."

**~o~O~o~**

With everything out of the way, the gang headed to the Tower of Mastery. Calem kept telling stupid jokes and exaggerating his exploits, but only Shauna responded to them – the rest walked in awkward silence. Shauna herself didn't seem to have any clue about the awkwardness around her, everything else being overshadowed by her excitement about the gang reuniting.

Thanks to low tide, the group could just walk to the tower through a path of sand. They walked through the gate built in the red brick wall that surrounded the tower, everyone staring in admiration at the architecture. Serena was particularly interested – if the Parfum Palace would be her base of operations once she ruled Kalos, this could be a perfect private residence. Great seaside view, lovely calm small town atmosphere... just a shame she would get bored there _fast_. Arriving at the front door, the groups stood awkwardly around, wandering what was the right etiquette when in a place like this – until Serena opened the door and waltzed in nonchalantly, the others following suit.

The first floor of the tower was big, but most of it was dominated by the incredibly long staircase leading to the very top of the tower, with doors leading to the other floors scattered around at even intervals. The tower's ceiling was barely visible from where the gang stood, looking around them like a bunch of tourists. Hanging on the brick walls were large, almost life-sized portraits of Pokémon that Serena recognized, but all of whom looked different from what she had used to. There was a Pinsir with yellow eyes and wings, a regal-looking Ampharos with a large amount of flowing white hair and a Heracross with a suspiciously big horn sticking out of its head. Serena had to admit that if these were Mega Evolutions, many of them lacked the grace and beauty she had expected.

_But the power_, she told herself. _Think of the power_.

In the middle of the first floor was a door leading to a small, isolated chamber of some kind. As the group stood still, wandering what to do, the door was opened and a white-haired old man with impressive eyebrows stepped out. Seeing him made everyone besides Serena stand at attention. Before Serena could say anything, the old man was followed by a familiar young woman on roller skates.

"Hey!" Korrina yelled perkily.

"Oh no," Serena said to herself.

"About time you made it to Shalour City!" she said, cutting off the old man as he was about to open his mouth. "Lucario sensed you were coming! It's in its Poké Ball, but even now I can tell it's very excited to see _you_ in particular, Serena!"

"Who wouldn't?" Serena said and flipped her hair back gracefully. "But why that Lucario specifically?"

"It's taken a liking to your aura," Korrina explained.

"Friggin' hippie," Calem grumbled.

"Aura," Trevor said to himself. "An active principle forming part of every living thing, a type of life energy, also known as 气 in some cultures. All humans and Pokémon are said to be able to sense each other's auras in some capacity, but only a select few can truly see this energy as well as manipulate it."

"Also known as _whuh_?" Shauna wondered.

"Gramps, these are them," Korrina said to the old man. "Sycamore's new pupils – too bad for them. Everyone, this is my grandpa, the Mega Evolution guru!"

"That's an odd name," Shauna remarked.

"That's just what everyone calls me," the guru said pleasantly. "My real name is Gurkinn."

"I'm not gonna be able to remember that!" Calem complained insensitively. "I'm just gonna call you cucumber. That okay, old man?"

Gurkinn sighed. "Professor Sycamore told me you were coming, though you're not _quite_ what I expected. Nonetheless, I'm always willing to help a man of his stature."

"He made you say that, didn't he?" Serena asked.

"Ol' Syccie used to train here, actually!" Korrina interjected. "He wanted to be one of the Successors – those worthy of Mega Evolution – but he quickly realized he didn't have what it took. Always too busy with his hair and body instead. That _magnificent_ hair and _amazing_ body..."

"Seriously!" Serena groaned. "I have nothing against him, but is he some kind of cosmic force that makes people shill him? Because if he is, then he's got _nothing_ on me, and I'm not afraid to say that he's a-"

**~o~O~o~**

_TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES – PLEASE STAND BY_

Professor Sycamore cleared his throat.

"Okay, okay, I've been politely asked to tone things down a bit. Nonetheless, I must tell you that the story I'm telling is entirely true and _totally_ in line with what happened and I would _never_ dream of self-flagellation. _Mon dieu_, the very idea is repulsive! I am but a humble servant of the many mysteries waiting to be found in the grand world of Pokémon, responsible for the shaping of young minds and up-and-coming Pokémon trainers all over the region. And I did _not _quit because I 'didn't have what it took'. I was merely exploring all available options and it would have been far too rude to overshadow the other trainers with my sheer beauty and brilliance, _non_? That's what I thought. Enjoy the show, folks – granted, I don't think I'm going to appear in this part, but you can't have too much of a good thing. _Amuse-toi bien_!"

After grinning and waving for a while, Sycamore grabbed his phone from his lab coat pocket and dialed.

"Hello? Diantha? Hi, it's me, Augustine. Listen, what are you doing this Friday? What? Cancel it. Oh, you already did? Well, of course. There's this wonderful place in Coumarine City where I'll show you the time of your life. It'll make every day after that seem like _crap_ in comparison – until we meet again, of course! Can you believe there was someone who said I had a big ego or something..."

**~o~O~o~**

"-and that's what I have to say about him!" Serena finished, then looked around her in confusion. "Wait, what just happened?"

"We were talking about how amazing Sycamore is?" Gurkinn suggested.

"No, we weren't!" Serena snapped. "Mega Evolution!"

"Oh, right," Gurkinn said, cleared his throat and straightened his back regally. "Hm? Oh, by the way, what's that intriguing stone you're carrying?"

Serena had planned to show the intriguing stone to Gurkinn and held it on the palm of her hand.

"Very intriguing indeed," Gurkinn mused. "Were you the one who found it?"

"Yup," Serena said without hesitation.

"But that's not-" Tierno began, but stopped when Trevor jabbed him with his elbow. "I mean, yeah, sure did!"

"Are you sure?" Gurkinn asked Serena.

"Yes."

"_Really_?"

"Yes."

"_Really _sure?"

"YES!"

"Oh, well, doesn't matter, it doesn't have anything to do with Mega Evolution anyway – seems like an ordinary rock," Gurkinn said with a shrug.

Serena was annoyed, but decided that strangling the man was a waste of time – and not smart when he was about tell them how to achieve Mega Evolution. So, she put the stone back in her bag, hoping to find some use for it.

"What's important is that you were honest," Gurkinn said sanctimoniously. "If you tell lies, the truth is clouded and eventually lost. Now, Mega Evolution. I assume you all know about ordinary evolut-"

"Skip the basics, _please_," Serena hissed.

"Well, imagine a Charmander," Gurkinn began – and Serena did just so. "A Charmander's evolution process has two steps. It evolves into a Charmeleon, and then into a Charizard. But with Mega Evolution, the Pokémon can evolve even further, obtaining a whole new level of power. However, perhaps a better word is 'transformation'. Mega Evolution only lasts a certain amount of time – in other words, it's a temporary evolution."

"What?!" Shauna exclaimed, as if the concept was impossible to grasp. "The Pokémon changes, then it changes _back_?!"

"Perhaps there were a few people in Kiloude City who didn't quite get it yet," Serena mumbled. "You didn't tell me anything useful yet, old man! What's stopping me from burning this tower down to cinder?!"

Gurkinn looked nervous. "Well, um, it _is_ made of stone..."

"You have _no_ idea what she's capable of," Calem said.

"Thank you," Serena said before catching herself. "I mean... well, that statement was truthful."

"Well, how's this then," Gurkinn suggested. "To make Mega Evolution work, you need two items, the Mega Stone, which you should have received..."

Serena, Calem and Shauna showed Gurkinn their respective stones.

Gurkinn nodded. "And the other item is the Mega Ring, which has a mysterious item called the key stone attached to it."

Korrina showed the group her glove, which indeed had a small and pretty blue stone attached to it. "Like this!" she said cheerfully. "Awesome, no?"

"Since professor Sycamore entrusted you all a PokéDex," Gurkinn said delicately, "I'd _love_ to give you all a Mega Ring, _buuuuut_..."

Serena narrowed her eyes at him.

"I have only one Mega Ring with me at the moment," Gurkinn sighed. "It's a very precious item. That's why my research isn't getting anywhere. However, if I can see Mega Evolution in action... I'd like you to decide among yourselves who gets the Mega Ring."

"While you do that," Korrina said with a wink, "I'll be waiting at the top of the tower! I _am_ the Mega Evolution successor, after all, and we need to gauge if you're worthy! Word of warning, though: I'm not afraid to absolutely _destroy_ you kids if I have to. My Pokémon are the strongest, meanest mofo's in all of Kalos, and I won't-"

"I get it," Serena said.

Korrina nodded and skated up the stairs somehow, heading to the highest floor. Serena stared after her, thinking about the best strategy to take her down. This moment would decide if she'd truly be worthy of becoming the queen of all Kalos – and soon _all_ of creation. Serena just knew that Mega Evolution would make it all possible.

And, of course, in the completely unlikely event of her failing, she'd just steal the damn thing.

"Well, count me out," Tierno said. "I doubt that could really help me with my dancing..."

"Personally, I consider myself worthy – so worthy that this Mega Evolution business is beneath me," Trevor muttered. "Once I complete the PokéDex and have absorbed all the knowledge in the world, no trainer, Mega Evolution or not, will be able to stop my moment of tri-"

"Yeah, it seems like a cool memory, but I dunno," Shauna interrupted. "It does look interesting, too... but I don't think if I'm at that level yet. So, I guess it's just Calem and Serena, then~!"

Serena looked at Calem. He looked excited at the prospect, smiling at Serena while twirling a Poké Ball on his fingertip, possibly under the false pretense that he looked cool. He really wasn't going to let this go – and Serena realized she didn't want him to. This was the time – today, everyone would know just how superior Serena was. And just what a treacherous fool _he_ was.

"I've been looking forward to this!" Calem said and turned his hat backwards like some lame shōnen action hero. "Serena – this is the time to see who Vaniville Town's best trainer really is!"

"...is that not already apparent?" Serena asked sincerely.

Surprisingly, Calem just smiled at the comment. "I've put my Pokémon through some intense training and attempted to form some strong bonds with them – but I know you're the better one of us, Serena."

"Oh." Serena raised her eyebrows at Calem, genuinely surprised. "Then why-"

"I want to put my skills to the ultimate test," Calem said confidently. "Me and my Pokémon will not lose, even against overwhelming odds. And I've really been itching to put your skills to the test, 'cause I got to say... I've always kind of admired your strength."

"Understandable," Serena said casually.

_What is this_? Serena wondered to herself. _Why is he being bearable for once? Is this all part of his clever ploy? _

Shauna, Tierno, Trevor and Gurkinn moved aside, clearing a part of the first floor for their battlefield. Serena and Calem stared off from each side of the field, Calem nervously twiddling the Poké Ball in his hands while Serena just smiled serenely.

"Two Poké Balls?" Calem asked.

"Deal," Serena smiled. "Talonflame, go!"

"Meowstic, go!"

Calem had gone with his Meowstic, Espurr's evolved form, and based on its blue fur, a male. _Calem probably thinks they're better by default or something_. She commanded her Talonflame to use Flame Charge, and at the same time, Calem commanded his Meowstic to use Light Screen. He soon came to regret this as the fiery ball of death Talonflame turned into stormed through the shield and knocked Meowstic several feet backwards.

"Screw this tactical junk!" Calem snapped. "Meowstic, Psychic!"

But even a psychic blast of energy couldn't hit Talonflame, the fast bird dodging all incoming blows. It wasn't until Meowstic used Disarming Voice, an attack Talonflame couldn't dodge, that Calem's Pokémon could lay a hand on Serena's, but the attack itself did barely anything, allowing Talonflame to retaliate with Peck.

"You just don't get it," Serena admonished Calem. "Your Meowstic is male, meaning it's a defensive Pokémon – but you're using it like an offensive one!"

"...how'd you know that?" Calem wondered.

"I pay attention," Serena said proudly. "Trevor told me that. It would be good to listen to one of your dearest friends once in a while, no?"

Serena wasn't even sure if that was true or not, but it did the trick. Calem looked nervous and glanced at Trevor, who was watching from the sidelines.

"Oh, well, this battle will be over soon enough, anyway," Serena said. "Brave Bird!"

Talonflame tucked its wings against its body and dived towards Meowstic at reckless speed. Too slow to dodge, Meowstic was hit and hurled away. Gritting his teeth, Calem withdrew Meowstic, while Serena surprisingly did the same for Talonflame.

"I don't wanna use it over and over," she explained. "Gotta give it a little time to rest before our victory party."

"I like your confidence," Calem said, much less smugly than before. "But we'll see how far it can take you. I know much you like burning... so we need someone to douse that fire in you."

Serena rolled her eyes. "We here to fight or talk?"

"I was just... yeah, whatever! Frogadier, go!"

Calem's Frogadier, the evolved form of Froakie, was a nimble, dark blue Pokémon that looked like it was wearing a scarf made of foam and bubbles. Still smiling confidently, Serena sent out her Charmeleon.

"No mercy, Frogadier!" Calem commanded with his hand dramatically in the air. "Use Water Pulse!"

"Smokescreen," Serena ordered calmly.

Charmeleon released a thick cloud of smoke from its mouth and fled before Frogadier's attack hit. From the cover of the smoke, Charmeleon was able to counter with a Slash attack. It did some damage to Frogadier, who was quick to jump out of the way before Charmeleon struck again. Before Serena could give another order, Calem told Frogadier to use Smokescreen too, covering the battlefield in thick black smoke.

"You copycat," Serena said, but with amusement instead of anger.

"All's fair in a Pokémon battle," Calem remarked.

"What? No it isn't! You just wanted to say that to sound cool, didn't you?"

"...yes," Calem admitted. "Frogadier, Quick Attack!"

All Serena could see was a blue dash as Frogadier emerged from out of nowhere and struck Charmeleon square in the face, then disappearing into the smoke again before the fire-type could react.

"You sneaky little thing," Serena said, still smiling, something Calem found unsettling. "I should have expected no less from you."

"W-what do you mean?"

Serena chuckled to herself. _What an amateur_, she thought when Calem started to sweat.

"You know what I mean," Serena said gravely. "How much did he offer you? What drove you to him? Has this whole thing been a ploy from the start? Did Looker ask you to send Shauna to Unova too?"

Listening from the sidelines, Shauna frowned and stared at Calem, who was sweating even more, opening and closing his mouth weakly while trying to think of something to say.

"N-no, nothing like that," he said, "I only... I mean..."

"Tell me this," Serena said, "did he ask you to call him 'Pretty'?"

"No, 'Handsome'," Calem said quickly, then closed his eyes in annoyance. "I mean-"

"Too late," Serena remarked. "Charmeleon, Fire Spin!"

Charmeleon fired a swirling vortex of fire that consumed the entire battlefield. Even if Charmeleon didn't know Frogadier's location, she was able to trap the water-type within the confines of the fiery vortex, and soon enough, the smoke cleared, giving Charmeleon an opening.

"Dragon Rage!" Serena yelled.

The tip of Charmeleon's tail erupted in a humongous flame as Charmeleon opened her mouth wide and blasted Frogadier with the largest Dragon Rage attack she had ever been able to create. Even with its speed, Frogadier had nowhere to run, and the attack hit it right in the face, knocking it out easily.

That was just what Serena had predicted. What she hadn't been able to foresee, however, was Charmeleon suddenly glowing brightly and growing. Everyone in the room held their breath as the Pokémon sprouted two large wings, its single horn split into two and its claws and teeth were even sharper than before. Once it finished evolving, Charmander's final form, Charizard, stood before them, towering over everyone else in the room.

Serena was shaking with excitement, but decided to gush over the evolution later. She waited for a stunned Calem to withdraw Frogadier. His confusion wasn't because of Charizard, though – he seemed unable to comprehend his loss.

"But..." he mumbled. "How could... I mean, I had those moves... all that training..."

"Charizard, now," Serena said.

Charizard needed only to flap its enormous wings a few times to create a gust of wind that caused Calem to fall. Next, Charizard flew on top of Calem, and with just a slight press with its powerful feet, Calem was pinned down. But of the rest of the group, only Gurkinn seemed to care.

"Should... should we help him?" Gurkinn asked Shauna, Tierno and Trevor.

"I don't know, should we?" Trevor asked gleefully.

"You're enjoying this too much, Trevs," Tierno commented.

"Seriously, much as I admire that girl's power... she creeps me out," Gurkinn said with a shudder.

"You have no idea," Tierno muttered.

Meanwhile, Calem was struggling in Charizard's grip while Serena stared down at him.

"N-no, Charizard-sama, _yamete kudasai_," Calem complained hoarsely in Charizard's grip, "Serena, tell her off, please!"

"Should I, though?" Serena pondered slowly while tapping her lip with her index finger. "Well, _maaaaaybe_ I should, but you gotta say something first."

"S-say what?" Calem stuttered.

"Tell your friends about what you did," Serena said bluntly. "You know, how you betrayed me and helped Looker. The guy who kind of left Tierno and Trevor in trouble, almost got them arrested for being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Whuh... what?"

"Okay, _or_, you can make this difficult," Serena sighed. "Charizard, please."

Charizard opened her mouth, a flame igniting inside it. Calem let out a high-pitched squeal.

"Okay, okay!" he said. "I helped Looker! I helped him! But I-"

"But you what?" Serena seethed. "I bet you meeting me in Ambrette Town wasn't a coincidence either. You kept tabs on me, like the pathetic little creep you are!"

"Trevor!" Calem yelled and tried to make eye contact with his smallest friend. "Trevor, do something! Use your ultimate rage or whatever!"

"I get far too much enjoyment seeing you on the ground, you treacherous, good-for-nothing insect," Trevor said quietly.

"Stop muttering over there and help me!" Calem yelled, then turned to look at Tierno. "Tierno! Tiern! We've always been the best of buddies, haven't we? Talk some sense into her!"

"What's my favorite dance?" Tierno asked him with his arms crossed.

"...huh?"

"You don't even know," Tierno sighed. "He's all yours, Ser."

"Shauna! Shaunee!" he yelled at Shauna, who was hanging slightly on the background, rubbing her arm awkwardly. "Shauna, please! We've known each other the longest! Don't you remember all the fun times we had? You know I'd never do anything to betray you guys! I just wanted to... I..."

"Why'd you do it, Calem?" Shauna said, looking devastated, shaking her head slightly. "Serena was our friend. I don't understand. I'm sorry, Calem, but if you don't want to be friends with her... you can't be friends with me, either."

"Old man!" Calem yelled at Gurkinn desperately before catching himself. "Okay, fine, whatever, I give up."

"Charizard, let go of him," Serena said.

Confused about this sudden gesture but still grateful, Calem picked himself up and dusted himself slowly. His face was sweaty and bright red and he didn't seem to want to make eye contact with anyone. Serena walked up close to Calem, who looked like he'd rather be anywhere else.

"You promised to be loyal to me," Serena said to him coldly, "and you broke that promise. I had a plan in mind for traitors. I bet you'll be real surprised when I say that it involved a lot of fire-"

Calem winced.

"-but just this once, I'll let this slide."

Calem clearly had not expected that. He blinked a few times, then slowly raised his head to look at Serena.

"Y-you..." he said quietly. "But why?"

Serena shrugged. "A temporary case of insanity perhaps," she said apathetically. "What I _do_ want you to do is get out before it goes away."

Calem sighed, but wasn't dumb enough to protest. He picked up the bag he had dropped while in Charizard's grip and turned to walk away, though before that, he turned to look at Serena one last time.

"Just so you know," he said, "it was nothing personal. I thought I was doing the right thing – I thought I was helping you. I want you to know that-"

"Sanity returning in three," Serena hissed, "two-"

"Going!"

And with that, Calem ran away from the Tower of Mastery, leaving an uncomfortable silence behind him. Gurkinn was the first to speak up, clearing his throat loudly first.

"Well, um, I guess we have a winner, then," he said awkwardly. "You may, um, climb to the top now. Korrina is waiting there."

"Do I have to walk all the way up there?" Serena asked with a groan.

"Well," Gurkinn said, "that's what _most_ people do-"

"Then you should know something about me," Serena said. "Charizard!"

Everyone had to duck as Charizard flew close, allowing Serena to hop on her back.

"I'm not like most people," she finished. "Later! Be ready to hold a parade in my honor when I get back!"

And with that, Charizard ignored the spiraling staircase and just flew straight up to the top of the tower. At the very top, there was an entrance leading to a wide open balcony. It wasn't until Serena hopped off Charizard's back and walked to the balcony along with the Pokémon that she realized just how high up she was. The view was breathtaking, and there was something new to see wherever she turned: the calm blue ocean to her left, the hills on the road leading to the next town in front of her and the entire city of Shalour to the right. Korrina and her two Lucario were standing there, the two Lucario looking like they were ready to fight Serena, the other one particularly eager, while Korina just stared off the balcony dramatically.

"I really love this place, you know," Korrina said as Serena stepped closer. "When I'm here with my Pokémon, looking at the wide-open sky above, all worries disappear and I feel like I can do anything! Thanks for coming all the way up here, Serena."

Serena frowned – Korrina's back was still turned.

"How'd you know it was me?" Serena asked.

"Oh, please, who else would it be?" Korrina scoffed. "Have you taken a good look at your friends' auras?"

"...I can honestly say I haven't."

"They're pathetic," Korrina said. "Especially that loser with the blue jacket you were with back in Cyllage."

"No argument there," Serena laughed.

Somewhere in the city, Calem wailed in frustration.

"This is the ceremonial place where the next Mega Ring is handed to those deemed 'worthy', whatever that means nowadays," Korrina explained as she turned to face Serena. "Something about making sure we never forget to set our sights as high as the sky or some other poetic junk like that."

"Kind of inconvenient, isn't it?" Serena asked.

Korrina sighed. "I _kno__w_, right?" she said. "Why build this enormous tower if _that's_ all you're going to do. No wonder all the royalty was either executed or exiled. Good riddance, I say. Anyway, here it is: your very own Mega Ring!"

Korrina grabbed Serena's left arm and slipped a large black bracelet, with the bluish gray stone attached to it, on her wrist. Serena nodded appreciatively.

"Stylish enough," she said.

"That's the key stone," Korrina explained. "A mysterious jewel that is crucial to activating the process of Mega Evolution, serving as a medium between the trainer and the Pokémon holding the Mega Stone. I, uh, assume that's it?" Korrina asked, gesturing at Charizard.

Charizard posed proudly and shot smoke out of her nostrils.

"She's the one!" Serena said. "Don't ask me where it's holding the Charizardite, though."

Korrina nodded. "I really want a chance to put Lucario's Mega Evolution to the test. It's far too powerful to be used in an ordinary gym battle, but now, I'm battling you as the Mega Evolution successor, the great Lady Korrina!"

"What's stopping me from just leaving with the Mega Ring?" Serena asked.

"...well, a Pokémon trainer's honor dictates that-"

"Yeah, screw that. I will battle you, though. Not gonna lie, I'm pretty eager to try this thing out. Charizard, you ready?"

Charizard nodded and stepped in front of Serena, blasting fire from her mouth while spreading her wings proudly. Korrina nodded at her other Lucario, not the one who was interested in Serena. Lucario stretched its limbs and assumed a fighting stance.

"Ready, Lucario?" Korrina asked it, and it barked in response, which Serena didn't know how to interpret. "Do I even need to ask? Of course you are! Let's give it all we got! Time for Lady Korrina's big display! Mega Evolution, activate!"

Serena barely had time to see what Korrina was doing, she was moving so fast. She held her left hand in the air very dramatically for some reason, then tapped the key stone on her glove with her right index finger. This caused the Mega Stone, attached to a collar around Lucario's neck, to activate and glow, enveloping Lucario in a colorful explosion of light. Mega Evolution was not at all slow and gradual like normal evolution, but rather, the Lucario changed in a quick flash. It became taller, the cream fur on its torso becoming longer. Its thighs became slimmer and its 'hair', the aura-sensing appendages on the back of its head, grew longer. Finally, additional spike protruded out of its shoulders. All this happened so quickly that all Serena saw were multicolored fireworks and the Pokémon transforming suddenly.

_All right_, Serena thought, _I'm impressed_.

"Impressed?" Korrina asked.

"I... well, I mean, sure, that was _new_, but it's still just the same Lucario..."

"That's where you're wrong, I'm afraid. Lucario is stronger, harder, faster and better than before, and has put every drop of energy in its body to use, working at its fullest potential. This process can only be triggered by the elite of trainers, and the bond between the Pokémon and the trainer must be _unbreakable_. Do you think you have what it takes?"

"We'll soon see," Serena said, held her left hand up and tapped the key stone just like Korrina.

At first, nothing seemed to happen – no reaction from either the ring or the Pokémon. Embarrassed, Serena kept holding the Mega Ring high, tapping the key stone again, even pushing it like it was a button.

"Do... do I need to change its batteries?" Serena muttered. "Charizard, how do you f-"

But then Charizard roared, its eyes widening as the Mega Stone it was holding glowed in all the colors of the rainbow. Her Mega Ring did the same, the key stone glowing like there was a strobe light inside it. Charizard jumped into the air and stayed there as it transformed in another colorful explosion, but unlike Lucario, who only looked slightly different, Charizard changed almost completely. It changed from orange to black, with a blue underside, its legs and torso becoming much beefier than before. Spikes emerged from its shoulders and the tips of its horns became much sharper. Finally, the flame on the tip of its tail turned blue and burned with more intense heat, while two more flames appeared from the sides of its mouths, as if even the Charizard's teeth were on fire.

Serena just stood there staring at her new Pokémon. Mega Charizard spread its wings, now with more jagged edges, exposed its claws and hissed at Mega Lucario, who kept gazing at its opponent coolly.

"That..." Serena said slowly. "The color, the flames, the _power_! I can feel like it surging inside me, too! It's like _I _just went and Mega Evolved. Seriously, I'll never experience anything like this again. I could just drop dead and record this moment for the ages!"

Korrina shook her head. "Newbies always get over-excited," she said condescendingly. "Still, looks like you have a Mega Charizard _X_. Nice! Digging the color scheme. You ready to start?"

"_Ohhh_ yeah," Serena said maniacally, her eyes wide open as she stared at her new, amazingly powerful Pokémon. "Though I don't see why we even need to battle. I was powerful before, but with this Mega Evolution, you don't stand a chance. And do I even need to point out my _massive_ type advantage over you?"

Korrina just smirked. "We'll see. Lucario, Dragon Pulse!"

Mega Lucario formed a blue sphere of energy between its hands and launched it at Serena's Mega Charizard X before Serena could even think of a move. Worse yet, the attack tossed Charizard about, causing it to hit the tower's wall above the balcony.

"Charizard!" Serena squealed.

"Perhaps you should have taken the time to figure something out," Korrina said. "Mega Charizard X is fire- and _dragon_-type. It's not like before."

"Scary Face!" Serena commanded.

Charizard managed to drag itself up and make a frightening face at Lucario, its eyes glowing red. A large illusion of Charizard's face suddenly appeared before Lucario, startling it and causing it to freeze.

"Nice one!" Korrina praised. "But even without its speed, Lucario can hit way harder than your newbie lizard. Let's show them, Lucario: Bone Rush!"

Lucario put its paws together, creating a long, glowing bone made of energy. Moving faster than Serena could even follow, the Mega Lucario rushed towards Charizard.

"Fly!" Serena yelled quickly.

Lucario swung its energy bone, but Charizard leaped out of the way just in time, spreading its wings and soaring into the air. Lucario kept its club ready as it surveyed the area, keeping close track of Mega Charizard X's movements. As Charizard swooped down and tried to hit Lucario, Korrina yelled out her next command:

"Detect!"

Just as Charizard was inches away from Lucario, the canine Pokémon dodged the attack so quickly it looked like it had teleported. Korrina then ordered Lucario to use Extreme Speed. Surrounded by a white aura, Lucario became so quick it turned into a blur that struck Charizard in the torso, knocking the air out of the fire-type. While Serena gritted her teeth, Korrina laughed at her plight.

"Don't tell me," she said snidely. "That Charizard just evolved didn't it? No, no, that can't be right. I mean, you'd hardly be qualified as 'worthy of the Mega Ring' if you let a Pokémon who just evolved fly you all the way up here, go through the stress of Mega Evolving _and_ fight me – all without even stopping to rest in between."

Serena glared at Korrina. "Right now, the effs I give about you – there's this many," she held up just one finger.

"Oh, wow, no need to be childish about it," Korrina said. "I'm just better than you in every possible way. Lucario, another Bone Rush!"

Still too weak to move from Lucario's last move and barely staying conscious, Charizard couldn't dodge or move anywhere, while Lucario created another energy bone and charged.

That should have been it. Without her strongest Pokémon, Serena wouldn't able to dominate the region – or possibly not even get away from the tower with the Mega Ring, She couldn't lose – there had to be a way.

"Heat Wave!"

Charizard didn't even have to move: it made its body glow bright red and flapped its wings a bit, creating a powerful wave of hot air that stopped Lucario's advance. The Mega Lucario was eventually overpowered by the heat wave, the energy bone fading away as it was blown backwards. Slowly, after it had stopped glowing, Mega Charizard X dragged itself up once more, belting out a deafening roar.

"'Atta girl, Charizard!" Serena praised. "Use Dragon Claw!"

"Yeah, sure, like that'll stop a steel-type," Korrina mocked. "Lucario, Aura Sphere!"

Lucario quickly created another sphere of energy, this on light blue, and blasted it at Charizard, whose claws were glowing with the same blue tint as Lucario's Dragon Pulse. Charizard just knocked the Aura Sphere away like it was nothing and slashed Lucario across the face, leaving deep marks and knocking the Lucario off its feet.

"_What_?!" Korrina exclaimed. "But that couldn't have... how did you just... _HAX_!"

"I didn't even know that would work," Serena grinned. "Excellent work, Charizard! Now use Flamethrower!"

"Lucario, get out of there!" Korrina yelled desperately. "Uhh... do something!"

It was too late. Mega Charizard X blasted Mega Lucario with a powerful breath of blue fire, the attack hitting Lucario point-blank. Once Charizard was done, Lucario was out of commission, and the battle was over. Korrina's eye twitched as she stared at the downed Lucario in stunned silence for a while, but eventually pulled herself together, sighed and recalled Lucario.

"Looks like it's back to basic training with you," she said. "Alack, alay, Lady Korrina gave a terrible display! Looks like I have to give up my title and admit that your skill far exceeds-"

_Yes_, Serena thought as she petted Charizard as thanks for a battle well fought, _yes, yes, yes!_

"-just teasing!" Korrina said cheerfully.

_I hate you_.

In a flash of multicolored light, Serena saw Mega Charizard X suddenly reverting back to being a normal Charizard, gaining back her orange scales and fire. It was too bad, as Serena really dug the other look, but also understood now that even with a Mega Evolved Pokémon, she was far from the top.

"Here, I'd like you to have this," Korrina said and tossed Serena something small and shiny.

Serena grabbed it and opened her palm: it was a gym badge, shaped like two fists clashing against each other.

"I _am_ also the gym leader here, and you've defeated me, so I might as well admit you worthy of the Rumble Badge," Korrina said. "You're also good enough to use Mega Evolution – but I'd suggest being wiser with it. Charizard looks like its flown from here to Unova and back."

Serena nodded and withdrew Charizard, letting her rest in her Poké Ball.

"May I suggest some more training?" Korrina said. "Perhaps some weightlifting, flying with weights strapped to its wings – lots of weights, basically. And pain. No gain without pain!"

"No," Serena said bluntly.

"All right... then how about you reconsider your attitude concerning gym badges? The more you get them, the more powerful you'll become, and old man Ramos' gym is right in the next town over."

"That..." Serena paused. "...is a good idea, actually."

Korrina's other Lucario glanced at its trainer, then walked over to Serena, barking something at Korrina.

"L-Lucario," Korrina stuttered, "a-are you sure? I mean, what about all the wonderful training we did?"

Lucario barked something again. Serena wondered if Korrina really knew what it was saying, or if she was just pretending.

"I dunno," Korrina said, sounding dejected. "I'm a bit shocked that a wandering trainer would have a stronger bond with you than me, after all these years we've been together..."

The, suddenly, Korrina did a complete one-eighty, laughing and smiling cheerfully.

"Haha! I guess Serena here must be something special. How's about it? Do you want to take Lucario with you, accept it as a member of your team?"

"You sure?" Serena asked and looked at the Lucario, who stared back determinedly. "I mean, it's probably pretty strong-"

"_And_ it has a Lucarionite in hand, so it can Mega Evolve at any time!" Korrina said.

"But still," Serena said awkwardly, "I'm more into fire-types than anything, so..."

But then it hit her. She wouldn't have to take Lucario with her immediately. If it really had taken a liking to her 'aura' or whatever, then... _hoo-hoo, Looker, I'm _always _one step ahead of you_!

"I humbly accept!" Serena said, trying to keep herself from laughing. "Welcome to the team, Lucario. I actually want to ask you to do a little favor for me right off the bat..."

Once she was done, Serena used her roller skates to get back to the ground floor of the tower quickly. After presenting her brand new Mega Ring to the others and vividly telling them the story of the battle with Korrina - altering a few parts about Charizard's performance, of course – she left with Shauna, Tierno and Trevor back to Shalour's Pokémon Center. Along the way, Serena immediately believed something was wrong when Shauna didn't say a word, just stared at the ground despondently. To cheer her up, Serena let her carry the Pokémon egg Sycamore had given her, noting it was shaking every once in a while, with sounds coming from inside it, even.

After she made Tierno and Trevor pledge their loyalties to her, Serena allowed them to go, sending both to work on their respective goals. When left alone with Shauna, however, Serena finally felt like she was free to talk.

"You mean you didn't beat her in forty seconds, sending the rest of the time partying on the balcony?" Shauna asked curiously, keeping the egg warm by wrapping it with her jacket.

"I'm afraid not," Serena sighed. "I have Charizard's resolve to thank that I didn't lose, but I swear, I think my heart skipped a beat when Lucario was charging at her. I just don't get it – I thought I'd gotten stronger, especially when she evolved today, but... I guess I still have a while to go before I can take over."

"Don't feel bad~!" Shauna encouraged. "Just work really hard at it, and your Pokémon could defeat even the Elite Four!"

Suddenly, Shauna's enthusiasm waved a bit as she turned to look at the egg mournfully.

"I just wish that Calem would be there to see it," she said quietly. "I don't understand why he did it. And all that stuff with Tierno and Trevor too... and lying to us through this whole trip-"

"He'll see it," Serena promised.

"Does this mean you'll forgive him?" Shauna asked hopefully.

Serena scoffed. "Maybe I'll give him a job at the custodial department once I rule the world, but even that's a little too generous for someone like him. No, I mean that he'll be there to see it, whether he likes it or not. He still needs to learn."

"I wonder what he's doing right- Serena!"

"What?"

"Serena!" Shauna kept yelling, staring at the Pokémon egg. "Serena! Serena! Serrrrr—eeeeeeee-naaaaaaaa~"

"WHAT?!"

"The egg is making these weird crunchy sounds," Shauna said quietly.

Serena immediately grabbed the egg from her and held it. Shauna had been right; the egg was shaking and slowly breaking apart, something inside breaking out of it. Serena and Shauna stared in awe as the egg finally shattered, revealing a small brown Pokémon with a cream-colored collar of fur, long ears and a big fluffy tail. Seeing the face of Serena, its new owner, the Pokémon wagged its tail and let out a happy squeal.

"An Eevee!" Shauna gasped.

"It's..." Serena said slowly. "...not a fire-type."

"And it's not a fire-ty... oh," Shauna said and cringed, anticipating a fiery explosion of rage.

Serena's face was blank as she picked the Eevee up and held it in her arms.

"It's..." Serena said. "...really..." Shauna prepared to storm off. "...CUUUUUUUTE!"

Serena started immediately feeding the newborn Eevee some Pokémon food while grabbing a brush from her bag and starting to style its tail.

"Oh my gosh I'm going to style it and play it with it and battle with it and as soon as I find a Fire Stone – BAM! I'll have a Flareon! This is the best thing ever!"

"I'm so glad you like it!" Shauna said in relief. "For a moment there, I... well, never mind. Where are you going next?"

"Coumarine City," Serena said. "That's where the next gym is."

"Oh."

"Would you like to... come along?"

Shauna perked up and seemed to forget all her worries about Calem as she stared up at Serena adoringly, looking like she was about to erupt into tears of joy.

"Can I really?!" she asked and Serena nodded. "Yay~! I promise I won't let you down!"

"On one condition, though," Serena said firmly, "don't lose your sleep over Calem!"

"I won't," Shauna assured, "but I still can't help but to think where he ran off to..."

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Looker Bureau, Lumiose City, Kalos**_

Detective Looker stood in his office, all of his belongings packed in cardboard boxes. He stood with his back towards the door, facing the window and staring down at the ground from the second floor, watching a group of workers build something near the entrance. The International Police would no longer be supporting his mission. He would soon no doubt receive another assignment, possibly something that would require him to leave Kalos. And Serena would slip away for good... he had failed.

Looker didn't even bother to turn when someone stepped into his office, recognizing the sound of sandals, a long dress dragging against the floor and excited chatter.

"Hi, Looker!" Iris greeted as she stepped into the office carrying two shopping bags. "I was just in the neighborhood and I thought I'd drop by! I also brought you a galette! I know how you can get, working day and night on you case-"

"The case has been closed," Looker said simply.

"Oh... well, that's great! Then we can have a little time off! Tell you what, we should go visit Kiloude City together! They have this amazing place there called the Battle Chateau, not to mention some gorgeous views, I hear. Oh, do you want to hear about this cool trainer I met?"

Looker sighed. "Tell me all about it," he said sadly while gazing at the Lumiose skyline. "Not like I need to be anywhere..."

"Well, I met her at the Battle Chateau," Iris started as she went through her bags, "I know it's been a while, but there were so many other official visits I had to go through yet _this_ was the one thing I remember the most – probably won't forget it anytime soon! Especially after this thing with a killer robot that looked like a maid... anyway, the trainer's name was Yvonne."

"That so," Looker commented – he was listening, but even killer robot maids didn't spark his interest anymore.

"Yeah, and she was an _amazing_ battler! Still probably new, but she carried herself like someone with years of experience! She had a liking for fire-types – and fire in general, but hey, we all have our things – so I gave her a Torchic! I don't know if I'll meet her again, but that one act made me feel like I made a friend for life! Plus it helped that we fought that robot together."

Looker frowned and slowly turned to look at Iris. Her story had sparked something in Looker's mind.

"Um, what other Pokémon did she have?" he asked casually.

"She... wait, is that relevant?"

"Well, it, uh, helps me see your story much clearer in my mind's eye. It's like a movie, only better, because it really happened! Please continue."

"Okay, well, she had a Fennekin, a Fletchinder, and I think... a Charmeleon, yes!"

_This can't be a coincidence_, Looker thought, _but if it is, I don't want to chase a bad clue..._

"Oh, and she was really well-dressed!" Iris added. "Like a model or something."

_Gotcha_.

Before Looker could ask anything else, though, his Xtransceiver rang. Seeing the caller id made him groan, but he answered the call nonetheless.

"Looker."

"_It's me, Cal... wait, are we not doing the code name thing anymore? Thank goodness! It's me, Calem_!"

"I don't know any Calem," Looker said smoothly, glancing at Iris, who resumed going through her bags, humming cheerfully to herself. "And if you were trying to reach the Looker Bureau, I'm afraid we're closed until further notice."

"_Don't clown around with me, Looker! I need your help! I think she, uh, the _target _may have kinda possibly seen through me. I don't know how, but she knows we're in cahoots_!"

"Young man, if this is a crank call, you picked the wrong target," Looker continued. "I _am_ a law enforcer, you know."

"_Looker, please! I have nowhere else to go, nothing else to do! I'm not strong enough to go on challenging gyms! What do you expect me to do?_"

"I dunno," Looker said coldly. "Go home, continue your journey, it's all the same to me. Just don't bother me anymore – we _never_ worked together, understand?"

"_Looker, wai-_"

Looker hung up and immediately blocked Calem's number.

"Those pesky kids," Looker said to Iris casually. "As for your idea – that sounds pretty good, actually. So, um, tell me more about this Yvonne."

* * *

**_A/N: 'Soon' is a relative concept. I blame summer, work, studies and everything. Either way, I hope you enjoy it. To make up for the long wait, the next chapter, "Fear of a Fab Planet", is halfway done by now. Since this is an 'abridged' version, I made some changes, mainly concerning the Korrina fight. In the game, you fight her THREE times, and I didn't want to bother including them. But this isn't supposed to be a novelization, after all._**

**_Thanks for reading, everyone! Stay tuned!_**

**_\- Zokolov_**


	9. Fear of a Fab Planet

"Welcome back! Hope you have all enjoyed the ride so far, because good ol' Sycamore is cranking up the heat. Not that I'm, you know, old or anything – I mean, really, when you think about it, you're only as old as you think you are. So, really, there's nothing really _creepy_ about the way I'm acting sometimes, right? Right?"

"Well, anyhoo, Serena and Shauna left Shalour City, Serena with a new weapon in tow. She had decided she was not strong enough yet, so she decided to start beefing her Pokémon up. You know, just like I do at the gym. I mean, would an old fogey do that? Huh? That's what I thought. Never question the word of the brilliant Professor Hunky McGorgeous."

"What? Yeah, I'm going somewhere with this! Anyway, even with her strength, Serena would have plenty of enemies to get out of the way, chief among them those mysterious people in red suits. Who are these mysterious upstarts? What do they want? Who is running their show? Serena is about to figure out the answers to all these questions – sooner than she'd think."

"Totally unrelated, but have you met my friend Lysandre? What a great man! We go _way_ back him and me. Yeah, you know what I'm saying. _He_ at least appreciates my style. He'd never have the gall to come up to my face and call me an old slimy creep. Keep an eye out for yours truly in this next part, and see for yourself! _Adieu_!"

**Chapter Nine: _Fear of a Fab Planet_**

_**Location: Coumarine City, Kalos**_

After a day of traveling, Serena and Shauna had reached Coumarine, another seaside resort and popular tourist destination and port town. The specialty of Coumarine was that the city was divided into two areas, accessible through the monorail traveling constantly between them. The other half was at the seaside, containing the docks and the commercial districts, while the other half was on a cliff, containing the gym, the Pokémon Center and the residential areas.

The local gym leader was Ramos, a kindly old gardener who specialized in grass-type Pokémon. As Serena challenged him, she expected a tough match. She then went on to defeat him in three minutes and seventeen seconds. After receiving the Plant Badge from him, Serena treated herself and Shauna to lunch at a nearby café, and also bought Shauna that humongous bowl of ice cream she had been dogging Serena about for ages. While Shauna shoveled food in her mouth at an amazing speed, Serena held her new badge on her hand and stared at it apathetically, occasionally taking a bite out of her food.

"That sure was an amazing battle," said Shauna, though Serena had a hard time making out what she said when her mouth was full of food – Serena had never seen anyone eat so fast. "What's up?"

Serena sighed. "I thought getting this would make me stronger. Do you realize I have like half the badges of Kalos and I still feel like I haven't gotten better from before. I didn't even have to Mega Evolve to beat Ramos."

"Too bad about his gym," Shauna said sadly. "I was going to say, maybe you should have went a _little_ easier on him? I mean, you had the match practically in the bag, considering the type advantage and all."

"He shouldn't have called me 'sprout'," Serena said nonchalantly. "After Viola, my patience for Pokémon type puns has dwindled. And I only burned down the interior of that place – he'll fix it up soon enough. Not so sure about his beard, though. But at least I got to smell the wonderful scent of burning hair again..."

"What was that?" Shauna asked, focusing on her ice cream now.

"Nothing, nothing... oh, crud. Shauna, don't look, but there's someone we know three tables away."

"What, who is it?!" Shauna asked enthusiastically and turned around despite Serena's direction. "Oh, hello there, professor!"

Serena facepalmed. Professor Sycamore had been eating lunch at a table close by, which was strange enough, as Serena had assumed him to be at his lab. Even weirder, he was accompanied by none other than champion Diantha. Shauna seemed to just realize this, too.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "My! Gosh!"

"Please stop talking for a while, Shauna," Serena groaned and rubbed her temples – she felt a migraine coming, and the only prescription was inflicting burns on someone.

"But it's Diantha!" Shauna said, shaking in her seat as she and Sycamore got up from their table and started approaching the two. "Diantha! The champion! The movie star! The idol! The world's strongest! The baroness of beauty, the pharaoh of fabulosity!"

"What's she got that I ain't?" Serena grumbled.

"Well dunk me in linseed oil and call me a cormorant!" Sycamore exclaimed after reaching the duo's table. "It's good to see you, Serena! And Shauna. Can we sit here?"

Then he went on to sit down without waiting for a confirmation, doing so in a relaxed way, other arm dangling over the chair's back while Diantha sat down gracefully, a tranquil look on her face like always. She didn't seem to either realize or mind that Shauna was staring at her, ice dream dripping down her chin.

"I heard from Gurkinn about your _étonnant _achievement!" Sycamore told Serena. "Mega Evolution! Be sure to tell Grace about this – though I can do it for you if you want. Looks like I did the right thing advising you to go there."

"Well, it was a _mostly_ successful trip at least," Serena said, deciding to ignore the mention of her mom. "I did manage to make Charizard Mega Evolve, though only just – and I _still_ didn't get any new info on that legendary Pokémon, even after I went to see Gurkinn again for another... chat."

"Speaking of which, was Gurkinn okay when you talked to him?" Sycamore asked. "He sounded a bit, well, shaken, on the phone. Any idea what might have caused it?"

Serena tapped her chin in thought.

**~o~O~o~**

_**Earlier, in Shalour City...**_

"Tell me what I want to know!" Serena yelled.

"I swear, I don't know anything about it," Gurkinn cried.

Gurkinn was hanging upside down from a rope in one of the Tower of Mastery's chambers, right above a raging inferno Fennekin had lit. Fennekin herself was at her position, happily awaiting Serena's orders to burn out the ropes keeping Gurkinn above the flames. Serena and Fennekin were both standing on ledges, safe from the flames.

"Fennekin, another one," Serena sighed.

Fennekin blew some fire into another rope, breaking it and causing Gurkinn to drop a couple of inches closer to the fire.

"Please!" he wailed. "The only thing I know about Xerneas is its name and something about it creating life energy! I swear, that's everything! All the other info on it was lost during the revolution, and the only thing left are the sacred texts only the worthy can-"

"There's that word again," Serena said in annoyance. "_'Worthy_'! What is that, I mean seriously? How can you become worthy? Are some worthier than the others? Who's the worthi_est_? Who decided that was an acceptable word to use in everyday conversations?! _HUH?! _Fennekin, another one," she told the Fox Pokémon, turning calm all of a sudden.

Another rope was broken, and Gurkinn was ever closer to the fire, feeling the heat on his head.

"I didn't mean anything by it!" Gurkinn yelled. "Please! I really, really, really, really-"

Gurkinn stopped to cough and inhale.

"-really, really, really don't know!"

"_Really_?" Serena asked.

"REALLY!" Gurkinn yelled. "Oh, I see what you did there... NOW LET ME GO!"

**~o~O~o~**

_**Back in present day**_

"You know, I have no idea," Serena said with a shrug. "Maybe he's feeling a bit under the weather."

"Well, either way, this is great news!" Sycamore announced. "_Petit_ Serena is moving up in the world! It's touching, really..."

"Uh, professor," Shauna said awkwardly, not realizing that Serena was trying to signal her to wipe the ice cream off her face. "Why were you here in Coumarine with, um... with..."

"Oh, right, introductions!" Sycamore laughed and clapped his hands together. "Diantha, this is one of my pupils, Shauna – and you already know Serena, right?"

"Yes, I do," Diantha said calmly and tilted her head at Shauna. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Shauna."

Shauna just stared at Diantha like an insane person. Serena sighed and wished she could have a meeting with Diantha that wouldn't involve someone embarrassing her. Then again, the way Shauna looked at Diantha... that was the way she wanted others to look at her.

_Soon_, she thought to herself. _Soon! Please let it be soon!_

"Now, it looks like you have everything you need to truly unlock the potential of Mega Evolution!" Sycamore said. "A Mega Ring for the trainer, a Mega Stone for the Pokémon and a strong bond between them both."

"The ring and the stone?" Shauna wondered, but was ignored.

"A strong bond?" Diantha asked softly. "Care to elaborate, Augustine?"

"Oh, it'd be my pleasure," Sycamore said, "though if anything, I think you'd know even better, Diantha. Serena, you know Diantha is one of the chosen few with a Mega Ring, right?"

Diantha tapped her necklace, surprising Serena: the amulet on her necklace had a grayish blue keystone.

"The first time her Gardevoir Mega Evolved – it was a sight almost as gorgeous as Diantha herself," Sycamore reminisced, but went back on topic when he noticed Serena's glare. "Well, anyway, this is just a hypothesis, but I believe the bond between a Pokémon and its trainer is vital to-"

"Heard it already," Serena said. "Korrina gave me the spiel."

"The real question is _why_," Sycamore said dramatically. "And why have Mega Evolutions only occurred in the Kalos region? Trainers in Hoenn and Kanto have been given Mega Stones and key stones, but even those came from Kalos – and the first ever Mega Evolution occurred here, too! It was a Lucario from Shalour City."

"Bonds – they really are important to us aren't they?" Diantha said quietly, Shauna still staring at her and hanging on every word. "When I'm acting, I always try to forge a bond between the character I'm playing and myself. If I focus on what I have in common with the character and put myself in her shoes, I can truly understand her. I suppose the same goes for all people – and _Pokémon_. I'm not speciesist."

"Diantha – would you like the rest of my ice cream?" Shauna asked awkwardly.

"No, thank you, Augustine offered me a full meal," Diantha said politely. "By the way," she told the professor, "does this talk of bonds and things only occurring in Kalos make you think of something like the Kalos region's legendary Pokémon?"

"Oh, _mon dieu_, I almost forgot!" Sycamore wailed dramatically. "Serena, Diantha's also very knowledgeable about the ancient myths of Kalos, including Xerneas and Yveltal. Now's a perfect chance for you to learn about them."

Serena, who had been trying to ignore the conversation until Sycamore went away and was focusing on her food, suddenly dropped her fork and leaned across the table to stare at Diantha.

"What do you know?" she asked, eyes wide and focused on Diantha, who didn't seem to think Serena suddenly coming so close was in any way odd. "Tell me _everything_!"

"It'd be my pleasure," Diantha said serenely, "you see- oh, Cathy Lee, hello!"

A young dark-haired woman with thick, square-rimmed glasses was anxiously making her way through the tables and crowds.

"Ms. Diantha!" she called out. "Ms. Diantha, you're needed on the set! They're about start shooting!"

"Someone's going to get shot?!" Shauna gasped. "That's awful!"

"Good timing," Diantha said serenely. "Everyone, this is my assistant, Cathy Lee. I'd like you to meet-"

"There's no time!" Cathy Lee yelled. "Seriously, the producer's going to lose her sh-"

"Cathy Lee!" Sycamore exclaimed suddenly, leaning against his hands and making his Hunky McGorgeous face at the assistant. "Lovely to see you again! I actually wanted to ask Diantha if she had any time to come meet me again, because I'd really like to study her key stone."

"That better not be an innuendo," Serena grumbled.

"I'm sorry, professor," Cathy Lee said, "but Diantha's schedule is full for the week!"

"Oh, is that so?" Diantha asked absent-mindedly and slowly got up from her chair. "Well, I'm afraid I can't help it. You see, Augustine, Serena and... Sana. I'm shooting this new movie called '_My Sweet Sweet Lady_'. I play a scientist whose experiment goes awry and whose body is suddenly made of cotton candy and syrup."

"That sounds tasty _and_ hilarious!" Shauna said.

"It's actually a horror movie," Diantha said.

"Come on~" Sycamore cooed at Cathy Lee. "When was the last time you had time off anyway? How about we free some time from both our schedules to study Diantha's key stone together, hmm?"

"I have one thing to say to that," Cathy Lee said.

"What?"

Moving faster than Serena thought was humanly possible, Cathy Lee grabbed a book from seemingly out of nowhere and smacked Sycamore across the face with it.

"I'm busy," Cathy Lee said.

"I deserved that," Sycamore muttered as he rubbed his cheek. "I guess I'll see you later, Diantha."

"It's been a pleasure, Augustine," Diantha said calmly. "Serena, the next time we meet, I'd love to have a battle with you."

"But," Serena said, "the legendary Pokém-"

"I'll look forward to it!" Diantha said and bowed. "Bye!"

Sycamore stared after Diantha and Cathy Lee as they left, sighing mournfully.

"Well, I suppose I should get back to the lab, too – I kind of left without telling anyone," he said. "Before I go, Serena... are you doing all right? You have enough money, right?"

"What's this all of a sudden?" Serena wondered.

"Huh? Nothing, just, making conversation. You've been staying out of trouble? Feeling well? 'Cause if you're not, I can get a doctor's appointment for you in just a couple of minutes – I'm quite a big deal all over Kalos."

"I'm fine," Serena said quietly.

"Well," Sycamore said awkwardly, quickly wiped his mouth and got up. "It was good to see you both again, and I hope you come by Lumiose City soon! Uh, Shauna, you have a little something there..."

"What?" Shauna asked.

"You have – never mind. See ya!"

As soon as Sycamore left, Shauna leaned over the table and stared at Serena.

"_You_ know Diantha?!" she asked. "That's awesome! So are you two, like, besties? When and how?!"

"Ehh, I don't really _know_ her as such," Serena said, wishing she could bring herself to care a little more. "I met her when were back in Lumiose City. It was when I had that talk with C... crud."

Serena had avoided mentioning Calem ever since Shauna brought him up back in Shalour City. Serena didn't know or want to know what Calem was up to or where he was, and she wanted Shauna to keep her mind clear of such thoughts as well – she could tell whenever Shauna was thinking about Calem, because that was also when she wasn't smiling or talking endlessly.

"Never mind that," Serena said quickly. "Let's go wash up and then head to Lumiose."

After the lunch, Serena and Shauna headed southeast to what the road sign called the 'Lumiose Badlands'. This already got a bad taste in Serena's mouth, but the two headed forward anyway. Serena had let her new Eevee out of the ball, and after playing with it and feeding it a bunch of Poké Puffs, allowed it to run freely as the two stepped onto the route, only to met with a strong wind blowing sand on their faces.

"What the crapping heck just happened?!" Serena yelled. "Something got sand all over my new dress and that _something _will pay!"

"It's the badlands!" Shauna explained. "It's a big desert between Lumiose and Coumarine. We drove through this place with Sycamore's assistants to get to Shalour! Should have probably mentioned that sooner, though..."

"Yeah, you probably should have!" Serena yelled. "But whatever, not like a little sand and wind will stop _me_. Though you should probably carry Eevee..."

"Yay~!" Shauna cheered and locked the little Pokémon in a tight grip, squeezing it so hard Serena was afraid one of its eyes would pop out. Serena could swear she heard the Eevee squeak in fear and look at Serena with horror in its eyes.

"It's all right," Serena told the Eevee.

"Yeah, I'm going to brush you and feed you and when we get to Lumiose City, we'll trim you and give you the best experience of your life _oh my gosh_!"

Serena and the Eevee-carrying Shauna took a few steps forward – and were immediately almost blown away by the strong wind. Worse yet, Serena heard rumbling from beneath the ground and saw a suspicious-looking mound of dirt moving towards them.

Eevee clearly sensed it, and jumped out of Shauna's lap the second before a Dugtrio emerged from under the dirt mound. And just like that, Serena was facing a wild Pokémon battle – something she really didn't have time for at the moment. Plus she was worried about Eevee – it hadn't really fought against anything else than those balls of string that you dropped on Pokémon and what they had to bounce back.

"Yeah, we're not doing this today," Serena sighed and glared at the Dugtrio, who clearly looked eager to fight. "You, just go away or something! Eevee, return!"

But as Serena attempted to withdraw Eevee and return it to its Poké Ball, nothing happened. The red beam that was supposed to hit Eevee just sort of faded away in the air halfway through. Serena tried again and again, but nothing happened. Neither Eevee nor the Dugtrio seemed to care. Eevee just kept circling around the Dugtrio and hissed at the ground-type, while the Dugtrio turned two of its three heads along with it, the third one staring at Serena and Shauna, as if daring them to do something. Shauna hit her cheeks and gasped dramatically.

"What is it now?!" Serena groaned. "You forgot tell me something again?"

"Uh... yeah," Shauna said awkwardly. "It's Arena Trap! Dugtrio won't let your Pokémon leave until either one has fainted!"

"This is some Tauros!" Serena cursed. "We've been here for just a couple of minutes and already I want to carpet bomb this place! All right, Eevee – we'll give it what it wants! Use... uh... Anime Eyes!"

"Serena," Shauna reminded.

"I mean, Baby-Doll Eyes!" Serena corrected.

"I meant, is it really okay to let Eevee-"

"I have no choice," Serena grumbled quietly. "I just hope Eevee lasts long enough to do _some_ damage so Talonflame or Combusken can mop up."

Eevee suddenly made its eyes big, round and sparkly, blinking cutely, which made Dugtrio shudder. In response, Dugtrio burrowed underground.

"_Now_ we can escape," Serena said, glancing at Shauna. "...right?"

"...I don't think so."

"_How_?! Why?! Whence?! All right, Eevee, _you_ use Dig too!"

Eevee started digging enthusiastically, also going underground. Serena cringed when she suddenly heard squeaks and sounds of fighting from underground. She then had to take cover and pull Shauna out of the way as the two fighting Pokémon re-emerged, blowing sand and clay everywhere. Eevee was bruised and exhausted, but to Serena's surprise, so was Dugtrio, and Eevee was still on its feet, growling at the ground-type.

"Now use Quick Attack!" Serena ordered.

Before Dugtrio could attack itself, Eevee practically vanished, working its way quickly to get behind Dugtrio. Then, it slammed against the ground-type, knocking out all three of its heads and sending it back underground. Serena sighed in relief and quickly withdrew Eevee.

"Nice one!" she praised, hoping it could still hear her in its Poké Ball. "I had no idea you were such a capable fighter! This could get interesting – but right now I'm way too distracted by _how annoying this place is_! Come on, Shauna!"

Serena grabbed Shauna by the arm and dragged her along with her as she made her way forward. But she didn't get to walk for more than two minutes before another mound of dirt started following her. Yelling all the swear words in every language she knew, she tried to run away, pulling Shauna with her, but as she evaded the dirt mound, yet another one appeared in front of her, yet _another _Dugtrio popping up.

"Should I take a turn in fighting it?" Shauna asked.

"I GOT THIS!" Serena snapped, but quickly cooled herself down when Shauna winced. "I mean – I got this. This is just getting ridiculous! Charizard!"

Serena sent out her strongest fighter, and without waiting further, jumped on her back, pulling Shauna with her. Not even bothering to wait and see if Shauna was holding on tight, Serena tapped Charizard's sides with her feet, prompting the fire-type to spread her wings and rocket into the air. Charizard stopped once she was about seven meters above ground, high enough for Serena to see most of the moving dirt mounds in the area.

"How do you like _that_?!" Serena yelled down at them crazily. "Now, in case you don't want me to turn this place even _less_ hospitable by setting it on _fire_, I suggest you LEAVE ME ALONE! Seriously, why are they acting like this?!"

"Well, I don't pretend to know for sure," Shauna said warily, keeping her eyes closed to avoid looking down, "but maybe the magnetic fields produced by the nearby Power Plant cause the Pokémon to behave erratically."

Serena turned around to stare at Shauna. "...oh. Well, um, what Power Plant? I see a lot of little building-things... and oh, I do see this pretty big contraption further away..."

"It's pretty well hidden further away in the mountains – the entrance is underground," Shauna said. "Can we please get down now?"

"I didn't know you didn't like heights."

"Heights are okay when I'm standing safely on solid rock or something! Not when standing on the back of a dragon who could throw you down at any moment!"

"All right, fine," Serena said. "But we're going to have to toughen you- huh?"

Serena's and Shauna's Holo Casters were ringing. Shauna still had her eyes closed as she clung desperately on Charizard and feared for her life, so Serena opened both of their Casters. As Serena had suspected, they both played the same message. A project of a pink-haired woman wearing cool, orange-tinted sunglasses appeared on both of their screens, reading out an announcement of some sort:

"_We now bring you this special bulletin_," she said, "_the Kalos Power Plant, having been plagued by power outages and__ members of their staff mysterious disappearing, has suffered another crisis earlier today. However, authorities are already on the scene __and citizens of Lumiose and Coumarine are advised to remain calm and wait for the power to return normally._"

As the broadcast ended, Serena looked around the area. There was no one besides her and Shauna around, and though Serena _did_ consider herself an authority, the number of people who felt the same was sadly too small to make an impact... yet.

"What was that about?" Serena asked Shauna. "Are the Holo Casters meant to do that?"

"Have you been keeping yours on?" Shauna asked, her eyes still shut tight.

"...actually, I couldn't be bothered. Ever since that Looker thing in Cyllage City, I turned it off and didn't turn it on until earlier today. Why?"

"That woman was Malva – she's pretty famous here in Kalos! Not only is she the star of the Holo Caster reports, she's a member of the Elite Four!"

"Interesting," Serena said, "though she needs to do that first job of hers a little better – Anville Town's local redneck radio station had more accurate reports. If she's an Elite Four member, what type does she specialize in?"

"...you know, I'm not quite sure."

"Shauna, you hesitated there for a second. Don't lie to me."

"Maybe we should continue this discussion safely on the ground?"

"After you tell me her type of choice."

"...it's fire."

"How about that," Serena said. "Maybe someone didn't tell her that Kalos already has more fire-type experts than it can handle – but don't worry, I'll let her know soon enough."

With Shauna not looking, Serena was able to use her Holo Caster to covertly send a message out before quickly putting it away and patting her Charizard's neck.

"Charizard, land near that building over there!"

"I've never been on a flying Pokémon before," Shauna said timidly, "how exactly do you LAAAAAAAA-"

The tumultuous flight down lasted only a few seconds, but Shauna kept yelling for almost a minute even after Charizard had landed safely and Serena had picked Shauna up and placed her safely on the ground. Finally, when Serena was worried that she'd suffocate, Shauna stopped screaming, opened her eyes and took a breath, allowing Serena to withdraw Charizard.

"That was actually kinda fun~" Shauna said, back to cheerful mode again. "What now?"

"Something is going on at the Power Plant," Serena pondered. "As future overlord, I'll be needing a lot of juice to power up the essentials: death rays, those big illuminated statues of me that I'll have built – and my cappuccino maker. I might as well scope this place ou – Shauna!"

The door to the small building opened, Serena immediately hiding behind a nearby rock and pulling Shauna down with her. As the door closed, Serena dared to peek over the rock: the one who came out of the building was a man with blazing orange hair wearing an orange business suit and sunglasses.

"More of those idiots," Serena sighed. "I'm beginning to see what's going on here."

"Eugh, the Power Plant workers sure have to wear gauche uniforms," Shauna said in disgust.

"What, you don't think they're kinda snazzy?" Serena asked. "Well, that's not the point – they're actually members of... Team Flare!"

Shauna gasped, then looked confused. "Wait, who?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought when I first heard of them. Actually, I still don't know anything about them, other than that they're kinda like Team Plasma."

"...who?"

"Long story," Serena said. "They're evil. Get it now?"

"Like you?"

"I'm not evil, I'm pragmatic. I do things what are best for everyone: when I rule the world, I'm happy, you're happy, everyone's happy! But if those guys do it – and that's a pretty big 'if' – they'll force everyone to make stupid poses and dye their hair red!"

Shauna gasped. "The fiends!" she whispered. "They must be stopped!"

"Actually, I don't even know if that's their plan – it's been pretty vague so far. But they talk about making the world 'more beautiful', and since that seems to be their idea of beauty... yeah. All right, first things first: let's take out that guard."

"How do you plan to-"

Before Shauna finished her sentence, Serena grabbed a glob of clay from the ground and tossed it right at the Team Flare Grunt. The grunt wailed in horror as his suit was ruined by the dirt, allowing Serena to sprint towards him and smack him across the face with her bag. As the grunt lost his balance, Serena was able to subdue him and force him on the ground, holding on his arm while stepping on his back.

"All right, Chili Top, listen up," Serena told the helpless grunt. "We need to get into the Power Plant! Can you arrange that?"

"Never!" the grunt yelled dramatically. "Death before surrender!"

"Ehh, I'll just beat you up and inflict some burns on you before you surrender, then."

"N-no, wait!" the grunt squealed. "Even if you do that, the key has been expertly hidden-"

"Found it!" Shauna yelled, having been digging near another rock and found a key card hidden behind it.

"Yeah, she's pretty good at that," Serena told the dumbfounded grunt. "Also, I'm pretty glad you're gonna make this fun. Let's begin: Serena – Jungle – _Savate_!"

Serena kicked the grunt right in the face – and knocked him out.

"Aww, come on!" Serena complained. "You couldn't have taken a couple more? We didn't even get to the part with the fire!"

"Awesome~!" Shauna praised. "Now we'll liberate this place from those evildoers!"

"'We'?" Serena repeated incredulously. "Sorry, Shauna, but maybe it's safer if I go it alone – I already had to save Cal- _this guy_, I mean_ -_ from them once before."

"I know I'm not as strong as you," Shauna said sheepishly, "but I promise I won't be in the way! I helped you get this, didn't I?" she added and handed the key to Serena.

Serena smiled a little. Still, the thought of Shauna running around in the background while Serena was in the middle of burning people didn't seem all that fun for several reasons. _It's not like it's _my _fault if she gets hurt_, Serena thought, _but... _

And then there was the matter of Shauna seeing everything Serena had planned to do to whoever called the shots in Team Flare. Sure, Shauna had appreciated Serena's amazing move on the hapless grunt just now, but that was from the milder end. Shauna had followed her the most loyally so far, but even she had to have her limit. _That_ meant (and she'd never admit this to anyone, least of all Shauna) that as much as she enjoyed traveling with her – she couldn't do that all the time. They'd go to Lumiose together, but then... she would have to come up with something else.

Shauna was looking at Serena quizzically while Serena was deep in thought. "Serrrrrrr-"

"I'm awake!" Serena said quickly. "All right, just this once – you can come along!"

"Sweet!"

Serena and Shauna used the key card on the door the Team Flare Grunt had used and stepped inside. For the longest time, the two just had to walk through an empty, underground tunnel. Finally, the two came across a flight of stairs that led up to the first floor of the plant.

As soon as they were in, Serena and Shauna knew that something was wrong. They heard muffled pleas for help from a nearby room that was tightly locked. As Serena tapped at the door, the chatter suddenly ended, replaced by shushing and quiet whispering.

"You okay in there?" Serena asked. "What's going on?"

"_Help_!" came the answer through the door. "_We work at the Power Plant! Team Flare's been pushing us around for weeks now, but they really went too far this time: they took the place over and locked us all in here_!"

"Why?" Shauna wondered quietly.

"Maybe they want to feel my stylish boots on their faces," Serena pondered. "We'll know soon enough. Hang in there!" she told the workers. "And when you're all free, remember who set you free: Serena, the future ruler of all of Kalos!"

As Serena and Shauna headed forward, they didn't get to hear another trapped worker mutter:

"_Is she that girl from that stupid video_?"

Serena and Shauna brought out their Pokémon, Serena going with her trusty Fennekin, who hadn't had a good fight in a long time, while Shauna went with her Snorlax – the mere sound of it walking around made Serena nervous that the grunts would be alerted in their location in no time. But Serena also knew that it was probably the only really good Pokémon that Shauna had.

Before Serena was able to think about that, her and Shauna's Holo Casters beeped again. Serena gestured at Shauna to keep hers closed while opening her own.

"_We have an update on the situation in the Power Plant_," Malva announced. "_The inhabitants of Kalos need not rely on auxiliary power much longer: officials from the Power Plant announce that the problem has almost been fixed and regular power __will return_-"

"Wait," Serena said, looking around her – there were more doors along the corridor they were in. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Shauna wondered.

"_-__identified the problem as a mere glitch in the generator, and that_-"

"Is it just me or am I hearing double?" Serena muttered.

"It's just y- no, wait, I'm hearing it too! Serena! They're broadcasting into our brains!"

"Or," Serena said as she located the source of the sound, "there's someone else in here..."

Serena kicked the door closest to her opening, leading into a room that was completely green except for a camera, a searchlight, a desk and none other than Malva from the Holo Caster reports sitting behind it, continuing to make her report.

"-should have no concerns, as everything is totally fine, and..." Malva stopped and turned around, looking only slightly annoyed that her cover had been blown. "Excuse me for a second," she said to the camera calmly. "We are experiencing technical difficulties."

"Well, this is a surprise," Serena said, crossing her arms while Fennekin assumed her position in front of Serena, growling at Malva who didn't seem to be carrying any Poké Balls with her.

"I should say the same," Malva said and stood up. "All right, feel free to say it – you two are some righteous heroes who came here to right the wrongs, defeat Team Flare and getting back to home in time for wine and croissants, proving the justice of our culture?"

"Joke's on you, I don't like either of those things!" Shauna retorted. "Also, what are you doing here?!"

Serena sighed. "She's with Team Flare," she said tensely, glaring at Malva, who continued to smile smugly.

Shauna gasped, but Malva just scoffed.

"And?" she said. "It's true, our so-called 'glorious leader' approached me first when deciding to hire admins for his ever-increasing bunch. But I can assure you, the masquerade which I helped uphold as well as the current siege of the Power Plant are all for the greater good – we did in secret to shield you from yourselves."

"All in the name of 'making the world more beautiful' or something, right?" Serena asked. "Why don't you tell me what you're really after? And please say money, because I'm _dying_ to meet some _honest_ villains for a while."

"'Villains'?" Malva repeated and held her hand on her chest in fake shock, though still smiling annoyingly. "Such accusations! And I assure you, I have more than enough money to last. I'm doing this strictly for the grand goal – and for the fun of it."

Malva stared at Serena's feet, right at Fennekin, whose hair was standing up when Malva crouched to take a closer look.

"A Fennekin," Malva observed. "I really do love fire-types – and I respect anyone who has a liking to them, too."

"That's great and all – can we battle now?" Serena asked.

Malva yawned. "You _do_ know I'm one of the Elite Four, right? I hardly think I'm expected to lower myself to the level of a common trainer and sully my hands on _you_ people. Tell you what, how about we make a deal?"

"Yeah, no, I don't compromise," Serena said. "And I bet you're not even carrying Pokémon with you. What's to stop me from telling that Snorlax behind us to crush you?"

"What's to stop me from using the radio I have on me and calling reinforcements?" Malva asked in turn.

Serena glared. "You... don't have a radio on you."

Malva smiled sweetly and took a step closer to Serena. "Do you have the nerve to find out?"

_That clever... _Serena sighed and glanced at Shauna. Had she come alone, she would have dared. She had taken out three of those idiots at a time back in the Glittering Cave, so what was to stop her from doing the same with six, seven or even ten of them? Nothing – except for the fact that Shauna was with her. And even with Snorlax protecting her, Serena was not going to risk it.

"...damn it," Serena grumbled. "Fennekin, stand down."

"Well done," Malva praised condescendingly as Fennekin took a few steps backwards. "And it's all right – I'm here to tell you. What you two may lack in things like brains or skill, you make up for in sheer courage – not a lot of people would have risked their necks coming here. I'll lead you to the people in charge – they can decide for themselves what to do with you."

"How can we trust you?!" Shauna wondered, sounding especially betrayed to see Malva acting like this.

"You can't," Malva said triumphantly. "I promise to fulfill my end of the bargain – taking you to the four scientists in charge of this takeover. What they do to you afterward is none of my concern."

Shauna frowned. "That doesn't sound-"

"We'll do it," Serena agreed. "But we'll get to keep our Pokémon out."

Malva shrugged. "It's all the same to me," she said. "As long as you keep them off me, we're good."

Shauna clearly didn't like it and tried to protest it, but Serena silenced her, and together with Fennekin, followed Malva out of the room and down the hallway. Shauna reluctantly followed suit, Snorlax walking after her lazily, though having no problem keeping up with its massive feet.

Malva led Serena, Shauna and their Pokémon down the hall, through a set of double doors using a key and into a much larger, higher room where Serena's ears started ringing immediately. In the very center of the room was the heart of the Power Plant, the massive generator. The room was also full of metal walkways and more stairs, obviously intended for workers. At the moment, though, the room was completely deserted.

"Where is this so-called army of grunts of yours?" Serena asked Malva as they walked.

"Waiting to be called," Malva said calmly.

Serena glanced up at Malva – there was seemingly no way to break her cool.

"So what would you say," she tried, "if I said that Shauna recorded our whole conversation before and uploaded it to every social media imaginable, so now the whole world knows that you work for Team Flare."

"I'd say that none of your devices work thanks to the magnetic field we put up," Malva said calmly. "The only thing that work right now besides the Power Plant's own equipment are Team Flare's devices – and the Holo Casters. That Lysandre sure is an amazing fella."

Serena glared at Malva's back. _You win this round_.

Finally, Malva led the group to the bottom of a longer staircase, one that led directly to the generator's control panel. As Serena had expected, Malva stopped there to lean against the railing and stare at her – presumably, as it was hard to tell with those shades.

"This is as far as I'll go," she said. "You'll find what you're seeking at the top of this staircase. Whatever the outcome is, it is sure to be interesting."

"Do they know we're coming?" Serena asked Malva suspiciously.

"Possibly," Malva said nonchalantly and flipped her hair back. "I didn't call them ahead, but there are surveillance cameras here, you know. As a counter-favor for bringing you here, though... you, with the Fennekin, what's your name?"

Serena smiled. "It's Serena. Something you might want to remember. This isn't the first time I've dealt with you worthless peons."

"Hmm, our operatives at Glittering Cave and Geosenge Town _did_ report being troubled by a civilian with one _fiery_ temper, but surely it couldn't have been you. I mean, if I'd believe all the reports, I'd think our troops were attacked by five hundred highly trained soldiers with flamethrowers."

Serena tried to imitate Malva's smug smirk.

"Well, either way, I _do_ hope we get to do this again," Malva said and left. "Ciao!"

Malva was soon gone, disappearing into the shadows. Serena took a deep breath, and despite Shauna's weak protests, climbed up the stairs together with Fennekin, Shauna and her Snorlax following despite Shauna clearly wishing she was anywhere but there.

As foolish as it was to just climb up, Serena wasn't ambushed at the top of the stairs like she was expecting. Instead, she was greeted by something that completely defied her expectations: four women in matching red uniforms that stood apart from the suits the grunts wore, all of them with different-colored hair and matching futuristic visors that hid their eyes. They were standing in front of the generator's control panel, a Mightyena and a Druddigon standing between them and Serena.

"Well, well," the one with orange hair said. "What do I spy with my little eye-gadget thingy? I do believe it's the runt who's caused us trouble before!"

"You're no match for her!" Shauna yelled from behind Serena. "She's on first-name terms with Diantha!"

"Not now, please," Serena muttered.

"Um, I think we already have enough juice to power the device," the green-haired woman told the orange-haired one quietly.

"Excellent," the orange-haired one said. "Now, it would be rude for us to go on without proper introductions, am I right?"

"No," Serena said, "I really don't ca-"

"Aliana!" yelled the orange-haired one and posed by leaning closer to Serena and adjusting her visor.

"Bryony!" yelled the green-haired one and shrugged, as if saying 'I didn't get to choose this name'.

"Celosia!" yelled the purple-haired one and leaned on the railing coolly.

"And Mable!" yelled the blue-haired one while holding her head high with her hands on her hips.

Serena and Shauna just stared, Serena eventually clapping sarcastically at the display.

"I can't remember all that!" Shauna panicked.

"We are the driving force behind Team Flare: the science team!" Aliana announced. "As you can see, we're totally memorable people with our distinct personalities and separate lives!"

"Ugh, enough of this banter," Mable said and pushed Aliana aside. "We have what we need already, so let's cut a deal, shall we? You let us leave without any sass, and we won't turn you into dust. How does that sound?"

"I've made it this far without a scratch!" Serena laughed confidently while Fennekin growled at the enemy Pokémon. "Give me one reason I should take your stupid deal!"

Mable just pointed up at the ceiling. Making sure she was ready to fight in case this was some distraction, Serena glanced up and cringed: there were Pokémon hiding on the catwalks and support beams above: a Weavile, a Liepard, a Manectric and a Bisharp. With them and the two nearby, Serena wasn't too convinced of her chances.

"I said _one_!" she snapped at Mable.

But she still had to struggle to suppress a smile. Even if she wasn't able to fight them head-on, she had practically won already.

"All right, we'll go along with your deal," Serena said. "Shauna, withdraw your Snorlax."

"But Serena-"

"Just do it!" Serena said firmly.

"I've gone along with your plans so far, but this really sounds-"

"DO IT!"

"My, my," Aliana observed. "Quite the team you two make, can't even agree on one simple thing. You should really follow our example – we, the backbone of Team Flare, shall never falter-"

"We get it," Serena said, "just go!"

Bryony grabbed some scientific equipment with her and left first, Shauna recalling her Snorlax and hiding behind Serena as Bryony walked by. Serena grabbed Fennekin in her arms and held it tightly in her arms, trying not to look too triumphant. If her calculations were correct, she had already-

"Manectric!" Celosia yelled suddenly. "Manectric, where are you!"

Serena glanced at the walkway above them: it was true, there was now one Pokémon less up there. As she looked around her, she was only able to notice a swift blue blur flying up near the ceiling, moving completely silently. Next, they heard brief sounds of struggling and just like that, the Liepard was gone, too.

"What the crap is happening?!" Mable exclaimed and glared at the green-haired scientist. "Bryony, where did your Pokémon go?"

"...your guess is as good as mine."

"It was them!" Mable yelled and pointed at Serena and Shauna. "They had an accomplice with them! Where is your honor, you brats?!"

"It's not us!" Serena protested. "Trust me, I want to boil whoever's doing this is coconut oil as well!"

"Oh, dear," Aliana said calmly. "Well, I suppose our little deal is off. Such a shame to dispose of such adorable little trainers, but our operations comes first. Bryony, call for backup."

_Whoever's doing this, I swear, Team Flare won't have anything left when I'm done_, Serena thought to herself while grinding her teeth together.

Bryony had her hand on a radio in her visor, when suddenly, the fast-moving blue thing grabbed her by the neck and pulled her up on a support beam, forcing her to hang from there, unable to use her hands to operate her radio.

"Bryony!" Celosia yelled. "Hang in there! I swear, I'll get whoever dared hurt you!"

Aliana sighed. "Guess I'll have to take them out myself," she said in a bored tone. "Migthyena, Druddigon, advance on-"

A thick cloud of dark smoke suddenly appeared just where the Team Flare scientists were standing. Serena didn't waste time, but made sure Fennekin was safely under her arm, grabbed Shauna's with her free hand and ran down the stairs, hoping to make a change on her plans along the way.

"Serena, what's going on?!" Shauna cried in shock as they ran.

"Beats me, but whoever's responsible is _so_ murdered," Serena grumbled. "Which way did we-"

"_Here I come to save the dayyyyyy_~!"

Serena's rage was reaching its boiling point when she realized who was standing on a nearby walkway, looking all dramatic by wearing a long and flowing red scarf.

"Hello, ladies!" Calem said enthusiastically. "Thought you two could use some extra Calem in your lives!"

"Cal!" Shauna said excitedly.

"I take it back," Serena muttered, "the one responsible will be _double_-murdered! WHY?! HOW?!"

Calem's smile faded after Serena's reaction, but didn't let that spoil his enthusiasm.

"I happened to be in the neighborhood when I got that _highly_ suspicious Holo Caster message!" he said. "I was focusing on my training and – oh, that reminds me, I should introduce the newest member of my team, though you've all met him before. Come over here, Greninja!"

Serena finally caught a glimpse of the fast-moving blue blur as it landed next to Calem completely silently. Compared to Frogadier, its color was a darker blue, it was bigger and leaner and instead of a collar made of bubbles, it had something that looked like a red scarf wrapped around its neck – Serena then realized it was the Greninja's tongue.

_Gross_.

"Nobody asked for your help!" Serena yelled at Calem, who looked even more confused and saddened. "You're ruining everything!"

"How did you get here so quickly?" Shauna wondered. "I mean, like, how did you get here _at all_? We locked the door behind us!"

"That would be a challenge for a trainer who isn't me," Calem said smugly. "Plus I had help from another traveling Pokémon trainer who had a knack for breaking into places. Serena, Shauna, I'd like you to meet my new friend – Julia!"

Serena's eyes widened as she recognized the familiar-looking woman in a maid outfit who suddenly crept behind Calem.

"Calem, if you value your life, get out of your way!" she yelled quickly and let go of Fennekin. "Fennekin, Flamethrower, now!"

Calem just looked dumbfounded, but his Greninja had the common sense to pull him out of the way as the blast of fire hit the maid.

"Serena!" Shauna gasped in horror. "What did you just-"

"Relax," Serena said bitterly. "This'll only slow her down."

Indeed, Shauna and Calem both looked even more horrified as the flames died down. The synthetic 'skin' on the maid robot had melted off, revealing the metal and circuitry underneath, as well as brand-new eyes that glowed bright red. It looked like 'Camille' or 'Julia' or whoever it preferred to be called had fixed itself since the last encounter.

"Whuh," Calem stuttered, pointing at the robot, "w-what is... "

"Oh, come on, like you've never seen one before," Serena scoffed. "And I'm sure you've seen a robot before, too. By the way, nothing about her behavior tipped you off at all?!"

"That," Shauna said and took a deep breath, "is AWESOME!"

"It's gonna kill us all!" Calem wailed.

"Yeah, but, like, a _real_ robot!" Shauna said. "How many people can say they were killed by a robot, huh?"

"You're weird," Serena said, "but in my kind of way. Fennekin, use-"

Serena was interrupted when the Team Flare scientists Mable and Celosia ran to them, along with Mable's Weavile and Bryony's Bisharp.

"Got you at last, you vermin!" Celosia yelled. "And that," she pointed at Calem's Greninja, "is the beast who dared lay hands on Bryony!"

"And what in the name of Xerosic's goatee is that?!" Mable shouted as she noticed the maid robot, who was still just standing still.

"Whatever it is, I want to dissect is _so _badly!" Celosia said, suddenly forgetting the Greninja. "I mean, look at the wiring! Look at that realistic skin!"

"Cel," Mable warned.

"Oh, right. You, Bisharp, go get 'em!"

The Bisharp was able to jump all the way to the catwalk where Calem was, almost stabbing him with the blades sticking out of its arms, but pushed back just in time by Greninja, who pulled the Bisharp up to the walkways near the ceiling, where they could duel in peace. Calem didn't even stay to give orders to his Pokémon, just ran away screaming.

"Weavile, get them!" Mable yelled at her Pokémon.

"Shauna, now's the time," Serena said.

"Is the time now?" Shauna asked.

"The time now, is."

"Yay! Snorlax, go~!"

Just as Weavile was about to leap at the duo, Snorlax came out of its Poké Ball, the Weavile bouncing harmlessly back from the Snorlax's massive stomach. Snorlax then retaliated with a Mega Punch which the Weavile dodged only slightly. Making sure both Mable and Celosia were busy, Serena picked Fennekin up and ran off, wanting to make sure the robot wouldn't bother her ever again. She had feared its return ever since leaving the Battle Chateau, but every scenario she had run through in her mind involved her fighting the thing alone, not with people important to her who could get hurt – and Calem.

The maid robot seemed to have regained control and leaped away from the catwalk and towards Serena, but that's just what Serena had counted on. She stopped running and ducked, allowing the robot to jump over her. But instead of crashing down, the robot regained its balance like an expert gymnast and landed right next to Serena.

"_**Identifying_target**_," it said in its familiar machine voice. "_**Processing... target_identified_as_fire_type_expert_and_Marchioness_Serena**_."

"You damn right!" Serena said while Fennekin leaped out of her arms again to growl at the robot. "And I'm sure there's something in your memory banks about me almost turning you into Aron food before! Unless you want me to fry every single circuit in your body again-"

"_**Initiating_anti_fire_strategy!**_"

"...what?"

Serena realized what was about to happen and pulled Fennekin out of the way a split-second before a cannon suddenly appeared from the robot's arm and blasted water at where Fennekin had just been.

"You learn from your screw-ups, eh?" Serena asked. "I'm impressed – I know a lot of humans who have difficulty with that. But I'm much more powerful than before, and it's time I showed you just how much. Fennekin, Flamethrower, full strength!"

Serena held Fennekin in her arms and used her like a portable flamethrower, blasting the robot point-blank so hard that Serena felt like she really needed protective clothing.

But the robot just extended its arms, sucking all the fire inside it, completely unharmed by Fennekin's attack.

"_**Absorbing_heat_energy**_," the robot said, almost in a mocking tone. "_**All_systems_fully_charged**_!"

"Huh," Serena said. "And technology marches on..."

When the robot started approaching her, Serena turned tail and ran away as fast as she could to where she came from, noting that Shauna and Mable must have left to move their battle elsewhere. Serena kept thinking about the robot, hearing its heavy footsteps in the distance. Even if Serena was faster, the robot would never run out of breath and would have no problem pursuing her to the end of the world if it had to.

"Fennekin," she panted at her Pokémon, who looked at her owner curiously, "I know you probably prefer staying in that form, but this would be a _real_ good time to evolve!"

"Ahoy there~!"

Serena looked up: there was another walkway, and on it, there was Team Flare scientist Aliana, accompanied by her Druddigon and Mightyena, the latter carrying someone on its back. Serena was not too surprised to see that it was Calem.

"That's far enough, darling!" Aliana said.

"No, it really isn't!" Serena yelled. "We're both screwed if we stay here! There's a-"

"Uh, excuse me, I was talking!" Aliana interrupted. "Rude, much? Anyway, our plans seemed to have hit a bit of a snag and I'm _mighty_ annoyed, especially thinking about the boss' reaction when I get back to base. But he might just be satisfied if we take him a little pest instead! How about surrendering over to us?"

"How about no?" Serena said impatiently. "Seriously, it's gonna be here any second-"

"If not," Aliana continued relentlessly, "this young man's trainer career is going to end on a _very_ sour note."

Aliana stroked Calem's hair creepily while Calem was limp on Mightyena's back. Serena assumed Calem was either unconscious, beaten up to the point of not being able to move or just too afraid to do anything.

"Normally I'd say that I don't care about him," Serena said. "But right now, I care for you even less than for him. Fennekin! If you're going to do it, do it now!"

Fennekin nodded at Serena reassuringly and jumped into the air. Mid-air, she suddenly started glowing and transforming, growing larger, starting to stand upright and getting a long stick as a weapon, keeping it in her thick, bushy tail. The evolution occurred in seconds, and as she landed next to Aliana, she was no longer a Fennekin, but a Braixen.

In response, Mightyena tossed Calem overboard, but Serena was quicker, opening another Poké Ball and letting her Talonflame out. Talonflame caught Calem with its claws just before he fell into his doom and carried him over to Serena. Meanwhile, now free to fight, Braixen blasted Mightyena with a Flamethrower using its stick, then immediately dodging Druddigon's counter-attack and retorting with a Psyshock. Both of Aliana's Pokémon were down and out within seconds, and Braixen soon jumped back to Serena.

"Amazing!" Serena praised. "You did it! And you look cuter than ever now! That tail, that mane, _those ear tufts_! And the way you used that stick? Very nice!"

"You..." Aliana growled. "This isn't... I will not stand... _this can't be happening_!"

"So, is our deal still up?" Serena asked as Talonflame dropped Calem harshly on the floor next to Serena's feet. "You can still walk away from this, you know."

"You shut your mouth!" Aliana yelled. "It doesn't matter how much you struggle! If you won't come with us quietly-"

Aliana snapped her fingers. Looking around, Serena just realized that she was surrounded: the rest of the Team Flare scientists had appeared, Celosia supporting a shaken Bryony up ahead while Mable had crept up behind her.

"-we're going to be taking you by force!" Aliana finished. "Oh, and your other friend, too. Mable!"

Mable turned around, then shrieked as the maid robot grabbed her by the collar of her uniform and tossed her off the walkway and down in the shaft below. The artificial skin had grown back on the robot's face, though some parts, including its other eye, were still exposed, making it look even scarier. Aliana was speechless for once.

"Well," she said finally. "On second thought, maybe we can call it a draw. Everyone, we're pulling out!"

Aiana quickly withdrew her two fainted Pokémon and ran away screaming in fear while Celosia and Bryony got as much distance to the maid robot as they could. Serena retreated a little, reluctantly pulling the uncooperative Calem with her while Braixen and Talonflame stepped between them and the robot.

"Right," Serena grunted, "_that's_ still going on. Well, you saved me the trouble of getting rid of them myself, so I _guess_ I should thank you... but seriously, though, what do you want?"

"_**Eliminate_all_opposition**_," the robot said. "_**Obtain_the_strongest_Pokémon. Eradicate_the_strongest_trainers.**_"

"I'm flattered, but much as it huts me to say it, there are people stronger than me around," Serena said tensely as she kept slowly retreating. "I mean, why aren't you going after Diantha? Or the Elite Four? Or why not just leave Kalos outright? 'Cause I think that would be fun for all concerned!"

"_**Target_Serena_confirmed_as_priority," **_the robot continued. "_**The_protocol_is_clear. The_parameters_have_been_recognized. 1) Observe_tactics_of_powerful_trainers 2) Evolve_to_counter_every_possible_strategy 3) Eradicate_these_trainers_and_obtain_their_Pokémon.**_"

"And after that?" Serena wondered, but the robot didn't respond. "Ugh, typical. No plans for the future or anything. Don't homicidal robots dream of anything? Like Mareep or Flaaffy? Or a nice little house on a paradise island with plenty of hydroelectric power and unsuspecting victims? I could offer you all of these things, you know, if you just leave me alone and-"

"_**Capture_mode_initiated."**_

"Fine, be a jerk!" Serena snapped. "Braixen, Talonflame!"

Both Pokémon charged at the robot as ordered, but were easily taken out. Braixen was punched in the stomach, the power of the robot's metal fist knocking her out instantly. Talonflame managed to dodge the first attack, but went down easily when shot at with the robot's water cannon. Serena recalled them hastily, and thought about using Charizard or Combusken – but what difference would it make if they'd just meet the same fate as the others? It looked like there was no one around to stop Camille/Julia from advancing on Serena and stealing all her Pokémon...

...until that someone landed from the ceiling and punched the robot so hard that one of its arms was blown apart. It was Serena's new Lucario, having arrived just as Serena had instructed, carrying around a Holo Caster Serena had 'appropriated' from Tierno back in Shalour City. When the one-armed robot turned to face Lucario, Serena knew what to do: she tapped her Mega Ring with her finger.

Just like Korrina's Lucario had done before, Serena's Lucario Mega Evolved in a blinding display of colorful lights, turning into Mega Lucario. As the robot tried to grab it, Mega Lucario easily leaped out of the way and fired an Aura Sphere at it, blasting off the other arm. Still looking as serene as always, the armless robot tried to charge at Mega Lucario and headbutt it, but Lucario responded by grabbing it and effortlessly throwing it into the pit below. The battle was over, and Lucario soon turned to normal.

But as Serena rushed over to thank it and return it to its Poké Ball, she couldn't help but to look down. Some part of her knew that even with all the damage it had suffered, that robot wouldn't give up just yet. All Serena could do was hope that she'd be ready next time.

**~o~O~o~**

Soon enough, the Power Plant was completely clear of Team Flare. To Serena's surprise, Shauna's Snorlax had actually defeated Mable's Weavile before and had torn its way through a couple of Team Flare grunts before the group decided to evacuate completely, leaving no one behind. Mable herself had managed to survive the drop and escape, and there was no trace of Camille/Julia anywhere, either. Together, Serena and Shauna were able to rescue the workers and restore peace in the place, though not before making every one of them swear they would be there by Serena's side 'when the time came'. None of them seemed to understand what it meant, but Serena seemed satisfied.

Calem had taken this opening to slip away in shame. But when Serena and Shauna left the Power Plant and started walking towards Lumiose again, Calem observed quietly from a distance together with his Greninja.

"Today's battle may not have gone as planned," Calem told Greninja, "but I _will_ become better than her one day."

Calem turned to look at Greninja warmly and patted his head.

"You fought _really_ well today," he praised, "but we can't slack off. Serena's definitely going to be even stronger when we meet next, and we have to keep up. You ready for that?"

Even being as exhausted as it was, Greninja managed to hop cheerfully in the air and nod at Calem reassuringly.

"'Atta boy!" Calem said. "We don't need Looker's or anyone else's help for that! And I don't care what Shaunee, Tiern or Trevs will think either. That day is coming when _I'll_ the number one trainer from Vaniville! You watch it!"

Calem suddenly turned to look behind him.

"Um... why is that mound of dirt coming our way?" he wondered awkwardly. "OH SH-"

**~o~O~o~**

"...and that, _mes amis_, is how the wicked Serena vanquished the forces of the evil Team Flare and how she and Calem both learned valuable lessons. Oh, how I love happy endings!"

"..."

"..._quoi_? What do you mean it's not yet over? Huh? We're only frickin' 40 % done?! That's absurd! Let me check that... okay... four more gym badges... ultimate weapon... Pokémon League... more Looker... well darn! You're right! Well, screw that! The great professor Sycamore can't be expected to sit still _that_ long! I have a pedicure coming up! Oh, and some science to do as well, I guess. I don't care, find someone else to narrate! I'm out!"

* * *

"I can't believe we're almost in Lumiose City! This is going to be _sooooo_ much fun~"

"Calm down, Shauna, this isn't some tourist trip like our last visit! Not only am I going to get me another badge, I'm going to show you why I sent Lucario away before! Let's just say there's a private eye in here who's really itching to be roasted..."

"Ah, of course! As long as I'm with you, I'm sure to get some great memories~! But, um, we _are_ going to visit the boutiques, right?"

"Uh, _duh_! The badge can at least wait _that_ long! I have like thousands to spend!"_  
_

"Awesome~! All this and more in the next installment, '_City of Sizzling Lights'_! Look forward to it~!"

"...who on earth are you talking to?"

"The loyal readers, of course!"


	10. City of Sizzling Lights

**Chapter Ten: _City of Sizzling Lights_**

"_Serena's journal: Shauna and I have returned to Lumiose City, __my actions in the Power Plant having finally restored balance to this metropolis__. __It seems nothing can break Shauna's cheerful spirit, no matter how many times I tell her that this isn't some __joyride. My plan, so intricate even someone as brilliant as me has trouble understand it at times, is about to enter a critical phase. Today, I shall not only earn my fifth badge, __but defeat my sworn enemy once and for all! After I crushed his spirit in Cyllage City, that shouldn't be much of a problem. Now, on we go – no distractions_!"

But instead, Serena and Shauna ended up having lunch at Café Triste, gorging down on as much food as they could, Serena almost going insane by the selection of cakes and treats they were offering.

"_Serena's journal, addendum: __All right, after _that_, there shall be no more distractions! __Nothing will stand in my way! Nothing is going to stop me!_"

But after Shauna's pleading, Serena and Shauna took a cab and went to Friseur Furfrou, a place where dandies and debutantes could spend extravagant sums of money on giving their Furfrou makeovers with varying degrees of style. Upon arrival, Shauna made a strangely serious observation on whether the Furfrou even wanted be prettied up like that and if this was more for their owners than for the Pokémon... then squeed and asked to trim Serena's Pokémon immediately after.

Though the snobby clerk at the store initially told Serena that only Furfrou grooming was allowed, Serena told Shauna told to close her eyes and count to then while she inflicted a burn on the clerk. After that, no one had any protests when Shauna started trimming and grooming Serena's Eevee while Serena patted it and threw Poké Puffs at it.

"Yes, eat well, my precious," Serena said to herself as she tossed treats at Eevee, who sat patiently on a cushion while Shauna tried different styles on it. "Grow large, evolve into a Flareon and incinerate all those who dare oppose me!"

"Hmm," Shauna pondered. "What do you think, Serena? Pompadour or dreadlocks?"

"Do either and I'll skin all your Pokémon," Serena threatened casually.

Shauna laughed, but Serena was only half-joking.

"So where are you going to get an evolutionary stone?" Shauna asked as she ran the brush through Eevee's cream-colored fur collar. "They're pretty hard to come by."

"Good question," Serena said and glanced at the other trimmers and their Pokémon who were huddling in a corner in fear of being burned, something which Shauna didn't seem to find odd at all. "Hey, Louis Vuitton!" Serena yelled at a particularly pompous-looking groomer. "Could you mind pointing me to a decent place that sells stones before I break yours?"

"The Suh... Stone Emporium!" the groomer stuttered. "Y-you can't miss it, it's right on this s-street, just one block away!"

"Perfect," Serena said and turned back to rub her Eevee behind its ear. "Then that's where we'll go as soon as you finish doing your thing, Shauna. Just make it look presentable and _what in the name of Moltres is going on_?!"

Serena and Shauna flinched and took a step backwards as Eevee suddenly closed its eyes and started glowing. It took Serena a while to realize that it was, in fact, evolution. Serena started panicking.

"Wait, no!" she yelled at Eevee, who seemed all too eager to evolve. "Unless you heard me talking and can turn into a Flareon without a stone, in which case, continue! But if not, _stop_! Bad! Shauna, what's going on here?!"

"Press B!" Shauna yelled.

"What are you talking about?!"

"Sorry~! Oh, I know, use an Everstone. We can get one at the Stone – oh, right..."

They were too late, though, as Eevee had already morphed into something different – and it was not a Flareon. It was bigger than Eevee, its body covered in pale, cream-colored fur, though its ears, tail and feet were bright pink. It had almost completely blue eyes except for white pupils and had two pink bows on it, one on its neck and the other one its left ears. Its most distinguishing features were two, long ribbon-like 'feelers' coming out from the bow on its neck, which the Pokémon was apparently able to move at will. It offered one feeler to Serena and smiled cutely, causing Serena to slowly grab the feeler and 'shake hands' with it, all the while staring at it.

"Oh. My. Gosh~!" Shauna squeed, Serena preparing her ears. "YOU GOT A SYLVEON! It's so... oh. Yeah. Right. You got a Sylveon. And, um, not a Flareon..."

Shauna took cover, as if preparing for the inevitable burst of rage that would ensue. Serena crouched so her eyes were at Sylveon's level, the Pokémon tilting its head as it smiled at Serena.

"It's..." Serena said.

Shauna cringed in anticipation.

"...ADORABLE!" Serena yelled and hugged her new Sylveon.

"Eh?" Shauna wondered. "But... he's not a fire-type..."

"I'm not even mad!" Serena said as she rubbed her cheek against the Sylveon's. "It's the fairy-type evolution, right? Fairy is, like, the second best type of all! All those dragons out there who think they are so tough – they all _tremble _at the might of fairy-types! And he's sooooooooooooooo beautiful, too!"

Shauna came out of her cover. "So you're okay with this?"

"I've wanted a fairy-type since I got here!" Serena said happily and fed another Poké Puff at the Sylveon. "As long as my team is still _mostly_ fire-types, I'm good."

"You still want to go to the Stone Emporium?" Shauna asked.

"Maybe later. We seriously should get ready to do the thing."

"_Serena's journal, second addendum: __Two__ minutes later, we were on our __merry way to the Stone Emporium._"

As it happened, two familiar faces were hanging out in the stone shop. Tierno was happily and loudly chatting with Trevor, or _to_ him, more accurately, as Trevor either wasn't listening or was pretending he wasn't listening. He was busy looking hungrily at the biggest and fanciest display case in the shop, a sign labeled '_Mega Stones'_ above it.

"Oh, hey, they made it!" Tierno said cheerfully and waved at Serena and Shauna. "Ser, Shaunee, hi!"

"Hi, Tierny~!" Shauna said while Serena muttered a vague greeting. "Why are you here?"

"We were just killing time until you two came," Tierno said. "We heard from the professor's two assistants that you were in the area-"

"How does everyone always know where I am?!" Serena raged.

"-and we figured that you'd probably want to check out the Mega Stones. Trevor seemed uh, pretty curious, too."

"You're damn right I wanted to check them out – move!" Serena said and shoved Shauna and Tierno aside as she worked her way next to Trevor.

There were seven different Mega Stones under the thick, most likely armored, glass, Serena recognizing one of them as the Lucarionite she already had. Trevor was staring at the stones intently, almost drooling on the glass.

"See anything you like, Trevor?" Serena asked.

Trevor scoffed and didn't even turn to look at Serena. "Unlikely," he grumbled. "None of these are useful to the Pokémon I have now, but once I own _all_ the Pokémon in the world, these stones are as good as mine."

"Yeah, cool," Serena said. "Wonder if I could use any of these..."

A man in a fancy, purple suit, possibly an employee, though he reminded Serena of Mr. Bonding in a strange and unpleasant way, rubbed his hands together excitedly and walked over to Serena as he saw her gaze at the Mega Stones.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" the man asked Serena slyly. "They're incredibly hard to come by, but in co-operation with Sycamore's Pokémon Lab, our employees have searched Kalos tirelessly to find these. _This _in particular," the employee pointed at a gem that was black and white with a red center, "is our pride and joy: the Blazikenite."

Serena turned to stare at the man like a Houndour that just caught the scent of raw meat.

"Blazikenite?!" she repeated. "So it goes with-"

"Blaziken, I'm guessing," Trevor deadpanned.

"Shut up, Trevor," Serena said quickly as she stared at the man. "I'll take it. How much?"

"Judging by that fabulous outfit, I'd say you're clearly someone of the upper class," the man observed, "someone who isn't afraid of expenses. Someone who-"

"Tell me the price before I beat it out of you!"

"Um, yes, of course... for you, only five million!"

"円 5 000 000?!" Serena yelled. "Outrageous!"

"I thought we used pokédollars here," Trevor muttered.

"It depends on the translation," the man said stuffily, "and I assure you, miss, that our Mega Stones are of the finest quality, incredibly rare objects dating back generations-"

"Ah, shut up!"

Serena looked around the store. Even if the glass was reinforced, Combusken or Charizard could easily smash through it. But there was a huge human guard walking amidst the customers, staring at them like a hawk, and a Machoke in one corner and a Gurdurr in the other. Even the evolutionary stones couldn't be that important, so they most likely kept watch on the Mega Stones. Serena went over her chances: it was _her_ after all, so why wouldn't she able to do it? But there was a big risk of Shauna, Tierno and Trevor getting caught in the crossfire... and then who'd carry out her menial tasks?

So, for now, Serena had to give up. But that Blazikenite... hardly anyone had Mega Stones, and those who did usually had just one of them. Serena had two already, and with a third one, Serena had no doubt that she'd be able to defeat anyone who came her way.

Trevor purchased a Thunderstone to evolve his Pikachu with, the group leaving immediately after that. The street was more crowded than ever, so Serena believed she could scheme without anyone overhearing.

"Lucario should have returned by now," Serena mused. "Wonder if something happened..."

"What are you planning, Ser~?" Shauna asked immediately. "Ooh, tell us! We'll help you!"

Serena sighed. "I sent Lucario to find the Looker Bureau for me. I want to know where his hideout is so I can be at least three steps ahead of him at all times."

"We know where it is," Tierno said suddenly and pulled Trevor closer to him, much to his discomfort – he wasn't fond of getting people germs on him.

Serena stared at Tierno. "You do?"

"Yup indeedy!" Tierno said proudly. "He took us there when he tried to use us as pawns. He was taking a pretty big risk, I gotta say. Probably though we'd either work for him without questioning or end up in jail – either way, he would have won. I mean, as if we'd ever betray you, Serena," Tierno laughed nervously. "Right, Trevs?"

Trevor just glared at Tierno.

"Right, well," Tierno said and clapped his hands together. "Are we ready go see?"

"Lead the way," Serena smirked. "He better hope he has fire insurance..."

**~o~O~o~**

Taking a cab, the group quickly found their way to the northern part of town, specifically Rouge Plaza. From there, Tierno led Serena, Shaun and a half-reluctant and half-bloodthirsty Trevor who kept grumbling all the way, mostly about the things he'd like to do to Looker once they'd find him. After walking few minutes north from Rouge Plaza, Tierno led the others to a shady and littered back alley. Stopping in front of an innocuous-seeming building, Tierno eventually stopped.

"Your long wait is finally over!" he announced like a tip-hungry tour guide. "Before you rises the Looker Bureau, the headquarter of the most ruthless and manipulative detective in all of-"

"It's a restaurant," Serena deadpanned.

"Uh... what?"

Tierno turned around – indeed, the sign that used to say 'Looker Bureau' in huge letters had been removed. Instead, the sign now advertised good food from a region southeast from Kalos. Shauna was the only one who seemed pleased.

"Well, we already ate," she said, "but this place smells _amazing_!"

"This can't be it!" Tierno panicked and looked at Trevor. "We're in the right place, aren't we?"

"As much as I'd like to commit violent acts now," Serena deadpanned, "I think I'll let it slide this time. This city is huge, after all."

"No," Trevor said.

"Actually, Trevs, Serena's right," Shauna said kindly. "This city is pretty big."

"I meant," Trevor grumbled, "you're traveling with a genius here."

"Thank you, Trevor, but that doesn't help our case," Serena said. "What's up?"

"I meant m... ugh. Whatever. The point is, I don't make mistakes. This is the correct building. But based on the data from my map app... it looks like the sign on the roof has been removed, too."

Serena rubbed her chin in thought. As the four stood there staring, the restaurant's door opened and the restaurant's owner led two customers out.

"Thank you for your patronage and do come again!" she told the two, then turned to look at Serena and crew. "Welcome! Do you wish to have a taste of our wonderful food? We have three hundred different kinds of pizza toppings on stock!"

"Yes, please!" Shauna said excitedly.

"_No_, please," Serena said quickly. "What happened to the Looker Bureau? I thought it used to be here?"

The owner looked confused. "I'm sorry, but I don't know what you mean. We've been here for decades. Now, if you're not going to buy anything, scram! You're scaring our customers!"

"Wow, rude," Tierno remarked.

But either way, the group had to leave. They went back to Rouge Plaza and sat on the first available bench, Serena squeezing the straps of her shoulder bag so hard that her claws were going through it. There was still no sight of Lucario and Serena felt her one chance of defeating Looker slip away.

"Come on, Serena~!" Shauna attempted encouragement. "How about we forget our problems with a big plate of lasagna, maybe with some garlic bread-"

"We're not doing that!" Serena snapped.

"Don't worry, Ser, just look on the bright side," Tierno said.

"Is there one to be found in this situation?"

"What? Oh, no, I meant the brighter side of that building. It looks like it's been freshly painted over or something... weird."

Serena didn't want to waste her time debating aesthetics so she quickly silenced Tierno with a glare. But what Tierno said sparked something in Serena's mind and made her start thinking. Maybe Looker had really left... he had probably sold his bureau to that restaurant and ran back to wherever he came from with his nonexistent tail between his undoubtedly hairy legs.

_Yes. That's it. I won. He's out of my beautiful hair forever_.

What Serena failed to realize was that someone had watched her and the group leave from the second floor of the building, through a partly boarded window. It was Looker, standing with his hands behind his back, having stared out of the window all afternoon. He smiled to himself as he saw the enraged look on Serena's face as she left. Soon after that, the owner who had sent the kids away knocked on the door and stepped into the room.

"Detective Looker," she said seriously. "Your plan seems to have worked."

"Thank you, detective," Looker told her. "I owe you one."

"The Lumiose Police may not be taking your concerns seriously, but I do! Just say the word and I'll help you capture her-"

"No need," Looker said dramatically. "I work alone. Rest assured, I alone will be the one to bring her to justice. Afterward, I shall accept any punishment about to come my way. For her actions are, in part, the fault of me and my tenacious spirit. Had I not pursued her so much in Unova, she wouldn't have..."

But the detective/fake owner had already left by the time Looker had begun his dramatic monologue. Shrugging, he went back to staring out of the window contemplatively.

Back at Rouge Plaza, Serena's grumbling and cursing to herself was interrupted by someone suddenly yelling Tierno's name and walking up to the group. It was a girl, shorter and probably slightly younger than Serena, with long and shaggy black hair and patched-up clothes.

"'Ey, Tierno!" the girl said confidently as she walked up Tierno and gave him a friendly punch in the shoulder – Tierno winced but took the hit in good spirit. "And the other one, too! What're you doing here in Lumiose again? Missed me, huh?"

Tierno smiled warmly at the girl. "To be honest, I was hoping to run into you again... I wanted to thank you somehow. Uh, Ser, Shaunee, this is Emma. She, uh, lives in Lumiose City-"

"Ah, put a sock in it, Tiern!" Emma said and crossed her arms "No need to gussy the truth. I live on the streets! But that don't mean you should feel sorry for me!"

"Right," Tierno said awkwardly. "Uh, Emma, I'd like you to meet my friends from Vaniville Town. This is Shauna, and this is Serena."

"Hi, nice to meet you, Emma~!" Shauna said cheerfully and grabbed Emma's hand without asking – Emma shook it but glanced at Shauna suspiciously. "I'm Shauna!"

"Yeah, I heard him the first time," Emma said.

"How do you know Tierno?" Shauna asked immediately, starting to talk quickly before Emma could even respond. "Oh, and what's it like to live on a street? Do you, like, have a specific one? Oh, I really love your hair~!"

Emma grabbed a lock of her hair self-consciously and glared at Shauna.

"You makin' fun of me, you bimbo?" she snapped. "Just 'cause I'm not all rich and fancy like you-"

"Emma, please!" Tierno interjected. "I'm sorry about Shauna, she can be... well, I honestly don't know anyone else like her. But as many people as there are worth hating in this world, this girl is not one of them."

"If you say so," Emma said but still eyed Shauna suspiciously, causing Shauna to stop smiling and move closer to Serena nervously. Emma then turned to look at Serena. "So what's your story, then? You look like you think you own this region!"

"Well, I don't quite yet," Serena laughed. "But seriously, I like you! Emma, was it? I'm Serena, your future ruler. I'm sure you've seen my PR video-"

"A what?" Emma asked.

"Serena," Tierno reminded.

"Oh, right, crap. Well, I'm going to tell you that your suffering is finally over, Emma. For I, Serena, have sworn that under my rule, things will be better for all. No more shall the strong trample over the weak and those they claim are unworthy, for in my world, there is only one who is truly strong – _moi_! And I will not trample-"

"Hey, Emma, is that a friend of yours?" Shauna asked suddenly, forgetting to be afraid and pointing over Emma's shoulder.

"I was in the middle of a speech!" Serena hissed.

Emma turned to look at where Shauna was pointing. An Espurr was watching from behind a lamppost, staring at the group creepily with unblinking eyes. Serena got shivers, as if the Espurr was going to offer her a contract or something.

"Yeah, that sweetie over there is Mimi," Emma said, her tone much warmer than before. "Come over here, Mimi, they're okay!"

"You haven't asked that thing to make you a magical girl, have you?" Serena asked cautiously as Mimi hobbled over to Emma. "Nothing good comes from that, you know!"

"Mimi is okay," Tierno assured. "She saved us from the police."

"Oh yeah, about that," Serena said and reluctantly took her eyes off the Espurr, but still kept her hand on Braixen's Poké Ball to be safe. "Is it really smart for you guys to be walking in broad daylight? I mean, if you get arrested, it'll be really inconvenient, and I have to get to Boutique Couture at some point."

"I'd like to see you try – not with the amount of style points you have," Trevor grumbled quietly.

"Professor Sycamore sorted it out with the police," Tierno said. "They won't try anything."

"Wish I knew someone big," Emma sighed. "Then me and Mimi wouldn't be bothered by the authorities anymore..."

"Cops just can't admit when they're wrong," Serena grumbled. "Just another thing that will change once I'm in power. Then _I_ would be the one who'd judge people, not some prejudiced, trigger-happy jerks – they'd be the first to answer for their crimes!"

"But there's someone else in town who's really helped people here," Emma said suddenly. "That' what I came here to tell, actually. Hey, Tiern, you wanna go meet her? She's really cool!"

"Sounds good to me," Tierno said cheerfully and turned to Serena. "Whaddya say? It sounds like a good way to get your mind off you worries."

"Well, I was supposed to go to the gym, but I kind of want to meet this new big shot in town," Serena pondered. "Someone like that would make a big impact on my side."

"Is it okay if my friends come too?" Tierno asked Emma.

Emma put her hands on her hips and evaluated Shauna and Serena – especially the still-smiling Shauna – carefully. Finally, she nodded in approval.

"Yeah, why not," she said. "She's at Hibernal Avenue."

**~o~O~o~**

Emma and Mimi guided the group to a street corner in Hibernal Avenue, easily finding the spot by following the excited squeals and laughter of children – like nails on a chalkboard to Serena. Indeed, in the corner, a Haxorus and an Excadrill were playing with a bunch of small children, who, from looks of things, weren't exactly enjoying the most comfortable of lives either.

As the group arrived to the spot, a young woman carrying a box full of what appeared to be food arrived to the spot, calling after the children. Serena gasped when she recognized the fancy pink dress and tiara that she was wearing. Wondering how to get out of the situation quickly, Serena cringed as Emma called out for the woman loudly.

"'Ey! Ms. Iris!" she yelled. "Over here! I brought some friend!"

Iris, who was serving food to the children, raised her head and smiled as she recognized Serena, who shuddered as Iris started approaching them. Emma, Shauna and Tierno didn't seem notice anything, though. Shauna and Tierno were too busy squealing over Iris' wonderful outfit while Trevor said nothing, as usual.

"Who is she?" Shauna whispered.

"Ignorant fools," Trevor said when no one could answer. "She is the champion of the Unova League. Here to pretend to do good deeds and bolster her image, no doubt, the worthless-"

"Not now, Trevor!" Serena hissed.

"Yvonne!" Iris greeted Serena. "It's been too long! How's your journey coming along?"

"Who is she talking to?" Tierno wondered.

"You know each other?" Emma asked Iris, meaning Serena didn't have to reply.

"We met at the Battle Chateau," Iris explained. "That was a crazy adventure. How you've been, Yvonne?"

"I don't get it," Shauna said loudly, digging Serena deeper and making her cringe. "Is _that_ your middle name or something? I mean, I like it, but it's no Se-"

"Shauna, I will stuff your Pokémon and put them on display in the Lumiose Museum if you don't stop," Serena hissed and instantly changed her expression to a fake smile. "Hi, Iris, it's been too long! It's going fine, I have four badges now, etc. I, uh, thought you'd be back in Unova by now, though..."

Iris sighed and turned to look at the children, who all gathered together and huddled closer to Haxorus and Excadrill to eat.

"I probably should have," she said sadly. "But there's important things I need to do here, too. I knew cities like Lumiose always have their darker side, but... it's different seeing it in person."

"Ms. Iris is helping us out!" Emma told everyone. "The kids in the city without families or who are poor or sick or otherwise in need are getting a lot of help and attention thanks to her!"

"Emma, please," Iris said modestly. "Really, Emma here has been a great help. I only met her just yesterday when I was getting started with my project. She knows this city inside out... the good and the bad parts of it. The first thing I did was getting these kids off the street. I organized them a place to stay in at night, and am currently looking into foster families, but as for Emma-"

"I already told you I don't want any of that!" Emma told Iris sternly. "I can survive on my own! And I'm too old to be taken care of by some adults anyway. Me and Mimi will survive together, like we always do."

Iris sighed. "She's been living on the dark alleys for over ten years," she explained to the group, who all looked very serious, except for Trevor, who looked like he wanted to be elsewhere, like always. "And I can't offer help to those who don't want it..."

"Others here need it more than me," Emma insisted.

"How are you organizing all of this?" Tierno asked Iris.

"Being a Champion isn't all just waiting for challengers and attending boring ceremonies," Iris said with a wink. "I have some authority even here. Plus a friend of mine staying in Lumiose has helped me organize this."

_Friend of hers_, Serena thought. _If she's still here... what about him_?

"Iris, can I ask you something?" Serena said suddenly. "When you came to Unova, did you bring someone with you?"

Iris raised her eyebrows at Serena.

"Uh, why do you ask?"

"Am I not allowed?" Serena countered.

"Well, it was an official flight, so I really can't – ah, excuse me for a moment."

As Iris' Xtransceiver started ringing, she withdrew to a more quiet place to have her conversation. Emma and Mimi went playing with the kids, allowing Serena to go on with her plan.

"All right, group meeting," she told Shauna, Tierno and Trevor and pulled them closer. "Under no circumstances can you reveal to Iris that my name is Serena. If you talk, I'll burn off your tongues. I won't even use my Pokémon, I'll do it myself with a smile on my face!"

"Why?" Tierno wondered.

"Looker, that's why!" Serena hissed.

"Serena, don't be worried about him~!" Shauna said nonchalantly. "He left, didn't he? And his base was replaced by the best restaurant ever! Can we go there tomorrow, by the way?"

"I know him better than you," Serena insisted. "He's not giving up that easily. Oh, now she's coming back! Remember, if you utter the word Serena in her presence again..."

Serena demonstrated what she'd do by pointing at her tongue, then made a sound that sounded like grease burning on a frying pan. The others shuddered while Serena turned to Iris, putting on a fake smile again.

"That was that friend of mine," Iris explained. "Apparently, there's a case that requires my attention. Some concerned parents have reported that their kids have been playing at dark alleys. Some junk about their reputations being tarnished and them not being able to get into good schools or something. But if the parents are concerned, I guess we should look into it."

"'We'?" Serena said incredulously.

"I was kind of hoping you'd help, Yvonne," Iris said. "You showed how capable you were back at the Battle Chateau, and I'm sure you've gotten even stronger since. I can't force you or anything, but I would appreciate it."

Serena scoffed. "Like I've got time for th- _hang on second_! You'd appreciate it, huh? You, the Unova champion, would be indebted to me?"

Iris looked confused. "What? Well, yeah, I would be grateful, sure..."

"Then it's settled!" Serena said and turned to her fr... accomplices. "Shauna, Tierno, Trevor! You stay here and keep the kids happy. Put on a little song and dance number for them, I don't care."

Emma walked up to Iris and Serena when she heard that.

"What's up?" she asked Iris. "Are you going somewhere?"

"You'll take care of things here for me, right?" Iris asked Emma. "I can't turn down a request like this, especially because that friend of mine is kinda short on cash and he'd say the local parents group would pay him 'enough dough to last a week'."

"Uh, sure," Emma said uncertainly.

**~o~O~o~**

Serena was hoping she had put on better walking shoes today, but had no time to change as Iris led her to South Boulevard. In a street corner near Restaurant Lé Nah, Iris stopped Serena and checked her map.

"This is one of the places they'd seen a bunch of kids hanging around," she explained. "Hopefully we can just talk to them, but..."

"Yeah, I'll help you, but why exactly do you _need_ my help again?" Serena wondered.

"My friend sounded real worried on the phone," Iris said seriously. "We might be dealing with something serious, like a criminal organization trying to recruit children... or worse."

Serena was reminded of those freaks in orange suit back at the Power Plant and the Glittering Cave, but somehow doubted that working with children fit their style. I mean, who'd want to do that anyway? They were so damn annoying. Serena felt like going for her lighter every time she heard kids yelling stuff at stores or in the train back in Unova. The mere sound of their shrieking hurt her brain – most likely it would make an effective sound-based weapon. _Gotta make a note of that_, she thought.

"You can deal with children, right?" Iris asked.

"Of course, love 'em, lovely little things," Serena said right away. "Wouldn't dream of burning their lips off for being so annoying..."

"Huh?"

"Shall we go then?"

Iris and Serena sneaked into the alley, Serena getting a good glimpse of what went on in the shadows of all the glitz and glamor. She had heard of tourists from Kanto, Hoenn and so on get hit with severe culture shock when visiting Lumiose and finding out it was not what they expected, so much that they even named a syndrome after it. Serena wondered how they'd react if they ever stepped out from the confines of the fancy boulevards and into the dirty, dank, dark, Rattata-infested, run-down alleys that made up a big percentage of the city.

Of course, compared to what Serena had seen (and done) in Castelia City, it was nothing. So, she confidently stepped into the alley and used her lighter to illuminate the place. The alley was one of the darkest in the city, being in the shadows of some very tall buildings. Serena walked slowly, constantly checking her surroundings, making sure to scan every corner while Iris followed closely behind.

Suddenly, as soon as she saw something emerge from the shadows, she pushed Iris to the ground with one hand and used the other to open Combusken's Poké Ball. The Young Fowl immediately used Flame Charge on the arrival before Serena even had to say anything, knocking out what seemed to be a tall, thin yellow and green Pokémon that looked like it had both bug- and grass-type features.

"A Leavanny?!" Serena said as she saw the unconscious Pokémon hit the ground.

This was immediately followed by the Leavanny's trainer running to her Pokémon, calling out its name in shock. The girl couldn't be older than eleven or twelve, yet she was prepared to attack Serena and Iris for no apparent reason.

Another trainer with a Bonsly, who was even younger than the one with Leavanny, also came into view.

"What happened, Callie?" she asked.

"That sneaky girl hurt my Pokémon, Natalie!" the Leavanny's trainer whined. "Teach her a lesson!"

"Shouldn't you kids be in bed already?" Serena wondered. "When I was your age, we didn't play on dangerous alleys like a bunch of morons! We couldn't even move diagonally, so show some respect to your elders!"

"Yvonne, that's not helping!" Iris scolded. "Girls, are there any others here?" she asked the two politely. "We're here because your parents have been concerned-"

"All I know is that you're intruding on our property!" the Bonsly girl yelled. "This place is for kids only!"

"Do we count as adults?" Serena asked. "I mean, my style _does_ make me look very mature for my age, but I still wouldn't say-"

"Bonsly, go!"

"I was in the middle of- whatever, Combusken go! Finish that thing off with Double Kick so we can deal with this brat!"

Combusken kicked the Bonsly twice, but recoiled while holding its foot in pain. Bonsly seemed to be no worse for wear.

"What the crap?!" Serena yelled. "What have you been feeding your stupid tree-rock thing?"

"You done?" the Bonsly's trainer asked mockingly. "Bonsly, Counter!"

Bonsy's body became outlined in orange and it fired an orange beam at the pained Combusken, knocking it out with one hit. Serena withdrew the Pokémon in utter disbelief.

"Okay," she said slowly and turned to Iris. "You wanna field this one?"

"I was hoping to solve this nonviolently," Iris sighed – the sheer ridiculousness of that idea made Serena question her logic -, "but okay. I think I'll use-"

But the kids would not stick around to test Iris. They withdrew their Pokémon and quickly ran further down the shadowy alley. Serena almost shot smoke from her ears, but managed to cool her temper, remembering Iris' presence.

"Oh, those darling little angels," Serena said and laughed fakely. "I guess we'll have to chase those blessed things."

"All right, but if we find them, we should _talk_ to them instead of fighting them," Iris reminded.

"Yeah, yeah..."

Serena and Iris started following the kids, but the alley just seemed to go on and on. Serena wondered if any of the apartment buildings or businesses they passed even used their back doors, as there weren't any people around, just the occasional city-dwelling wild Pokémon like Meowth or Houndour, who quickly ran away when approached.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Serena fell on her knees as she felt great pain in her head. This was followed by her vision going blurry and ringing in her ears, Iris' panicked reaction seeming to come from somewhere far away. Serena had no idea what was going on, it was like her mind was being ripped away from the present day and transported to a completely different point in time and space.

Also, it hurt like a-

_Serena was gazing at her unconscious mother through a window in Mistralton Hospital. A doctor nearby was telling her something, but Serena could hardly listen to her, her face blank as she just stared through the glass._

"_...should make a recovery soon, but she may have suffered permanent damage," the doctor explained. "She should be fairly lucid and normal, just as you know her now, for the most part, but she might have moments when she is not herself. Also, I doubt she'll ever take part in a Rhyhorn race again._"

"_What can I do for her?_" _Serena asked the doctor immediately. "How can I make her better?"_

_The doctor smiled sadly. "Supporting her is what you should concentrate on for now. It's a sad thing, but Rhyhorn racers suffer accidents like these very often. As time goes by, she will more or less make a full recovery, but I believe early retirement is still the sensible option. It's a shame, too. Not many Unovans may tune in for her, but we had a Kalosian patient see her earlier today and he was incredibly excited to see the great Grace._"

"_Mom always said she wanted to live in Kalos," Serena muttered._

_Serena couldn't believe it to be an accident. These things didn't just 'happen'. Grace had rivals, the rivals had sponsors, and surely someone, somewhere would benefit from her early retirement. Serena would make sure to hunt them down, and when she'd wake up, Grace's injury would have been avenged tenfold. _

Serena woke up on the ground, with no recollection how she ended up collapsing at first. Ignoring Iris' attempts to help her, Serena looked around her wildly and planned to send out Braixen, hoping to smoke out whoever was messing with her brain.

Until it happened again, when Serena found herself a year in the past, having a friendly discussion with a restaurant owner in Nimbasa City.

"_I don't owe you anything!" the owner snapped. "Now get out of here, we're closed!"_

_Serena noticed the man was carrying a locked metal box._

"_Counting your profits for the day?" Serena asked him. "How did you make them, exactly? Expired ingredients? Reduced benefits for your employers? 'Saving' in repair and maintenance costs?_"

"_I am an honest businessman!" the owner objected._

"_In that case, you'll be able to pay what you owe my mother and I," Serena said coldly. "She carried your stupid logo in every race for five months!_"

"_The contract was for six, and if she can't race anymore, then I want nothing to do with her!" the owner said. "Racers and lining up for my sponsorship money, you know."_

_Serena sighed slightly and walked over to the windows of the restaurant, brushing the fancy curtains with her hands._

"_Exquisite material," Serena observed. "And highly flammable, too. Candles everywhere, a menu full of flambeed foods... and the nearest fire station must be pretty far. You do have fire insurance, don't you?"_

"_Um, yes, but what does that have to do with-"_

_Serena smirked and took out her lighter. "Good."_

Serena was practically shaking as she came to, Iris helping her up. But it didn't take long for Serena to find herself somewhere else again, this time at her home in Anville Town, watching Grace stare at her collection of trophies, medals and memorabilia from her racer days.

"_I knew I couldn't keep on doing this forever," Grace remarked sadly, "but to give up racing already... I thought I had years of it ahead of me, traveling to __many different regions, meeting contestants from all over the world, all that."_

"_I'm sorry," Serena said, unable to think of anything comforting – it was funny how easy it was to say something when Grace was either unconscious or just elsewhere, but now that the two were face to face, all Serena could think was how miserable her mom was now._

_But Grace managed to put on a weary smile. "It's not your fault," __Grace s__aid. "__And we're getting by, right? __We have plenty of money saved, a nice house, __plenty of food for Rhyhorn-"_

_Rhyhorn stomped into the room at that very moment. Ever since Grace's injury, Rhyhorn had gotten lazier and more disobedient. Usually, she wasn't allowed to be inside except for in certain rooms, but now she went wherever she wanted, Grace not having the energy to reprimand her. Serena had tried to get Rhyhorn back into racing, but it had taken a long while for them to get used to each other. _

"_Oh, dear," Grace could only say as Rhyhorn left deep dents on the floor as she walked. "Serena, can I count on you to do something?_"

"_Of course!"_

"_From now on, treat Rhyhorn like she's your own Pokémon. Feel free to use her however you wish._"

The flashback changed again, this time skipping ahead to Serena in Nimbasa City. A man in a brown trench coat and his Croagunk who wore a deerstalker hat had ambushed her as she left from the premises of another place she had burned down. Even after months had passed, she still had been unable to find out who caused her mother's accident... but there were plenty of shady people all over Unova to feel her wrath in the meantime. The man, apparently a detective, couldn't prove anything yet, though, so he instead had a chat with Serena in his office. As little as she trusted the authorities, she got a good feeling about the man, except for his weird way of speaking and refusing to tell his name.

"_I understand your objective," the detective said after a long period of silence._

"_Y... you do?"_

_Serena had not expected this, however. So far, everyone she had come into contact with, criminal or authority, had been dishonest or otherwise shady. But the detective before her seemed... different._

"_Now let me tell you something, it will only take a minute of your time," he said. "Yes, three minutes of your time is all I need. Once those ten minutes have passed, you are free to depart. However! Let me begin: you are the daughter of the great Rhyhorn racer Grace, are you not?_"

"_Yes," Serena admitted, cursing the fact that she had run into the only person in Unova who was passionate about Rhyhorn racing anymore._

"_Fear not, I only ask out of interest," the detective assured. "Where I work, they frequently hold these races. I have seen your mother compete twice in my lifetime – you could call me a fan. I saw you in a news report about her, though it neglected to mention your name."_

"_Serena," she admitted – the guy seemed bright enough, and would probably get that information somehow, so there was no use hiding it._

_The detective nodded. "A pleasure to meet you, Serena. Apologizes for this. The nature of your mother's accident was not only tragic for her, but for fans everywhere. But to take that out on people-_"

"_Only because I'm just positive that it wasn't an accident!" Serena snapped. "And now my mom will never get to do what she loves the most again, and has to retire in the stinky armpit of Anville Town, which is already the stinky armpit of Unov-_"

_Serena realized she had said something she probably shouldn't have, but if she played her cards right, that detail probably wouldn't bite her back. Probably. And this guy would probably dig that information up anyway._

"_Point is," Serena continued, "this region is full of people about to exploit her because she's semi-famous but in a bad position. And people who just generally keep messing with me and my mother! Why shouldn't they suffer?"_

"_You are most right," the detective answered calmly. "Besides, so far, you haven't done anything _too _bad. But the law applies to us all, tricky as it can be, and taking it into our own hands, while sometimes necessary, always bears consequences. Which is why you'll make it through with a warning today._"

_Serena sighed and prepared to get up. "Thank you, detective, I-"_

"_Just one thing!" the detective said suddenly, his finger dramatically in the air. "The people you've attacked so far have been criminals and otherwise unpleasant people, true, but theft is still a theft. All of those people have reported that they're missing valuables. Most of these have probably been acquired through illegal means, but all the more reason to find out their whereabouts. If there's anything you know about them, please tell me now_."

_Serena looked at the detective straight in the eye. "No," she said plainly._

_The detective nodded. "You may leave, Serena. Thank you for your time_."

Memories were flooding back into Serena's mind again, whether she wanted it or not. As much as she had appreciated Looker back then, she wasn't going to tell him the truth. Everyone who had neglected to pay or help her mother like they were supposed to had a building burned down and valuables stolen from them – karmic justice, after all. Serena had stashed everything into an abandoned barn near Anville Town.

Serena also made sure to find out just who this detective was, and after scaring enough people, had confirmed his identity as Looker, not a private eye and certainly not working in any Unovan police department, but in the International Police. This made Serena even more certain that she needed to get her, Grace and all her loot out from Unova as soon as possible. It was just a shame Looker had gotten to her first, which is why Serena and Rhyhorn did the next best thing: they destroyed the barn.

_Serena and Looker prepared to confront in each other in the burning barn. 'Ending things peacefully' was not a phrase in Serena's vocabulary, so she prepared to have Rhyhorn fight Looker's Croagunk. The latter attempted a Sucker Punch attack, but Serena had anticipated it and ordered Rhyhorn to use Harden, taking hardly any damage from the attack. Rhyhorn then retaliated with Headbutt, sending the Croagunk flying, and before the poison-type could get up, Serena ruthlessly ordered a Stomp on the Croagunk's legs, preventing it from getting up anymore._

"_Croagunk!" Looker yelled, his earlier pleasantness almost gone, though he still tried to smooth things out as he turned to face Serena. "Very impressive, though I must confess that I am not much of a Pokémon trainer. Croagunk is my partner, not a tool to be used. If he gets hurt..."_

"_He can still recover from that," Serena said as she patted Rhyhorn. "What are _you _going to do now?_"

_Looker narrowed his eyes at Serena. "Don't think you've won yet," he said. "Even if I have no evidence now, there's still a hundred other ways to make sure you'll end up paying for your crimes! That is, unless you surrender and confess, which may get you off more easily. The Nimbasa Police will-_"

"_Nice try, detective _Looker," _Serena mocked, catching the detective off guard, "but you're not the only one here with a brain. I know you're from the International Police. I was a bit worried at first, until I found out more about you. You got promoted after arresting those Sage guys, right? So now you work pretty much alone, with complete operational freedom, the International Police funding you without question. But you still need evidence to use in court, and since you're the only one who knows about me..._"

_Looker crossed his arms. He glanced at Croagunk with worry, but soon turned back to Serena._

"_Impressive," he said, "but it changes nothing. I can still salvage enough evidence _and _arrest you. While the International Police keeps you locked up, I'll have enough time to gather everything else I need to get you locked up for a _long_ time_-_"_

"_Yeah, no," Serena said casually. "Rhyhorn, Rock Blast!"_

_Three silver-colored glowing orbs appeared from Rhyhorn's body, quickly turning into solid rocks that Rhyhorn fired at the barn's support beams and ceiling. The barn then began to collapse faster than expected. Panicked, Looker's first reaction was to rush to save his Croagunk – just as Serena had expected. While those two would make their escape, Serena hopped on Rhyhorn and rode out of the collapsing barn, crashing through the wall, Rhyhorn making her way through the flames like they were just grass. _

As Serena came to again, the pain still hadn't stopped, and despite her best attempts to resist it, she was pulled back into the past one last time...

_Serena was going through a bunch of maps in her room, occasionally throwing a treat at Rhyhorn while mumbling out loud. This was the morning after the barn incident, which probably effectively ensured that there was no going back from her decision to get out of the region as fast as possible. However, she couldn't decide where she should go._

"_Hmm, there's Sinnoh... nah, not in this generation, way too cold," she mumbled. "Hoenn... hah, as if _that'll_ ever happen! Orre is close by, but I dunno... my mad fire skills won't do much good in the desert. Well, then there's Kalos. You liked Kalos, didn't you Rhyhorn? I've always wanted to go, and mom says that Lumiose City is a really amazing place, but then again... the culture over there is probably way too different. Well, then there's Holon-_"

_Serena's musings were interrupted by a knock on the door. With Grace having gone to the doctor's for a checkup, Serena had to drag herself out of bed, walk down the stairs and get the door._

"_If you're selling something, it better be fireproof," Serena said as she opened the door, "because I've had enough of - ****!"_

_The one on the door was Looker, a grim expression on his face as he stared down on Serena._

"_I couldn't have said it better myself," he muttered._

_This was the first time anyone had made Serena nervous. But no matter what, she wouldn't show it to anyone._

"_Okay, you found me, I'm reasonably impressed," she said, "but so what? My mom's famous, I have to deal with it. If you could arrest me, you'd have done it the second I opened the door. So what do you want?_"

"_Dear Serena, it's not about what I want," Looker said quietly – his boisterous, nasal voice was gone as he instead spoke threateningly softly. "It's about what I need. It's about what is right. You may have lied to me and hurt me, I can take that. But what would poor Croagunk say if he were here now?"_

"_...what?" Serena asked quietly. _

_Oh no. He doesn't mean..._

"_Consider this a warning, Serena," Looker said as he turned to leave. "Enjoy your freedom while you can. I don't care if I have to do it all by myself and walk to the very end of the world, I will find you and bring you down."_

_As Looker started walking away, Serena called after him. "Looker!" she yelled. "What happened to Croagunk?"_

"_You happened to him!" Looker yelled without turning as he stomped away. "But he doesn't have to worry for long – once I make sure you'll never walk free again, we can _all_ be at peace!_"

_Breathing heavily and her hands shaking, Serena closed the door. All she could see in her mind was Rhyhorn stomping on Croagunk's legs and Looker's desperate lunge to help his Pokémon. She didn't mind hurting people. She didn't mind defending herself from violent wild Pokémon. But to do that to a Pokémon that was only doing what it felt was right and what its trainer wanted..._

_Serena shook her head. Terrible or not, she wouldn't hesitate to do it again. It was a necessity – she would _not _go to jail and leave her mother alone for something that was completely just. Now she had all the more reason to find a new place to stay._

_As she headed back upstairs, Serena's heart almost stopped when someone knocked on the door again. But as she opened the door cautiously, it just turned out to be her mom._

"_I'm back!" Grace announced cheerfully and stepped in. "Guess what? As I walked home, I noticed a train _full _of people arriving to the station. There were tourists from probably every possible corner in the world! I even talked to this Kalosian family. They had a daughter about your age..._"

Serena woke up, feeling the pain in her head suddenly go away. Though shaky and sweaty, she felt no other ill effects from what just happened, and could now see and hear everything clearly, Iris holding her up and screaming into her ear.

"I'm fine," Serena told her and made her let go. "What happened to me?"

"It had to be a psychic attack," Iris theorized. "Take a look!"

Iris seemed to be pointing at thin air. But as Serena looked closer and saw Iris' finger hit something solid, she realized there was an invisible wall stopping them from advancing further into the alley. Serena tried to touch it – it felt like a thick, completely smooth brick wall, impossible to go through without a Pokémon.

"Whatever did it, it has to be close by," Iris said. "Once the Pokémon leaves the area, the wall should quickly deteriorate, then fade away completely."

"Then it looks like this is a job for Braixen," Serena said and grabbed its Poké Ball. "Go-"

"Wait!" Iris yelled and grabbed Serena's hand. "You need to seriously listen to me this time! Look!"

Serena looked: an Espurr was staring at her and Iris from the other side of the wall, as if mockingly. At first Serena just assumed it was one of the many wild ones she had seen on her earlier visit... until Emma walked into view, followed by the two girls Serena and Iris had been chasing, along with a lot of other children.

"Sorry 'bout that," Emma said. "Mimi, you can take down the wall now!"

"Emma, no!" the girl with the Bonsly protested. "This was supposed to be our sacred place!"

"Oh, put a sock in it!" Emma snapped at the girl. "Play nice, both of you! How'd you like to get left out just 'cause you're old and stuff?"

"We're not old," Serena protested. "You're just brats!"

"Besides, you can trust them," Emma said, glanced at Serena, and added: "Well, you can trust Iris right here."

"Emma, what in the world is going on?" Iris asked. "Are these friend of yours?"

Emma nodded. "Don't think that I'm greedy or sumthin'," she said sadly, "but they can't come to see me very often – and they're the only friends I really have here. I don't want you to get them into trouble."

Iris sighed in relief. "We won't," she promised. "If anything, this should only make those Concerned Parents happy. Not many people's kids are kindhearted enough to help out someone who... well..."

"I know I live on the street, you don't have to waltz around that part," Emma said firmly. "But thanks. And sorry 'bout what Mimi did to you, Serena. She didn't mean no harm, but when someone is chasing after me or people I like, Mimi can get a little defensive..."

"Serena?" Iris wondered. "I thought your name was Yvonne."

Serena cringed. _Flank my life_, she thought.

"Yvonne?" Emma laughed. "That's an odd name. Tierno said your name was Serena, and he's been talking about you a lot, you know!"

"_Nya~_!" Mimi offered her two cents.

Serena wanted to blow up this whole alley to get rid of this awkward situation. But sadly, it would probably not aid her in her quest.

**~o~O~o~**

As Serena, Iris, Emma and Mimi returned to Hibernal Avenue, Serena explained the situation the best she could. She initially said that 'Serena' was just a stage name she used while making PR videos, but since Iris wasn't fooled, she eventually had to tell the truth. And by truth, we mean a highly modified version of the truth with a few bold-faced lies thrown in.

Serena did confess to being the one Looker had pursued and admitted to knowing him, but since the police had let her go back in Cyllage City, she could easily claim that Looker had just made a mistake pursuing her. Even better, by telling that, Serena got Iris to confess that Looker was still in Kalos, albeit apparently on a 'vacation' and having turned the Looker Bureau from a detective agency to an organization that helped those in need, only charging money from those who could afford it. Serena didn't believe one second of it, and sadly Iris would also not tell where Looker's new base of operations was. In the end, Serena was able to paint a picture of herself as a misunderstood victim and present the whole thing as a misunderstanding. As Iris seemed quite fond of Looker, Serena didn't want to demonize him too much – there was always a PR video where she could do that.

Emma hadn't listened to most of it, which was probably good, and spent most of the trip playing with Mimi. Even though she was 16, Emma reminded Serena of someone much younger than that. Thinking about her made Serena feel oddly melancholy, something she wasn't used to.

In the end, Iris went back to taking care of the kids while Tierno and Trevor said they'd head to see Trevor's sister, who lived in the city. However, Shauna seemed insistent on heading to the Prism Tower, apparently having heard that, with the power problems fixed, there was going to be a big spectacle as they would light it – not on fire, though. Serena just said they'd catch it from the news that evening or something.

"But Serrrreeee-na~!" Shauna said in a voice that made Serena's headache come back. "This is a unique chance! I mean, you can see the tower quite far, but ever since I was a little girl, I've wanted to see it from up close. Can we please, go, please?"

"But-"

"Pleaeeeeeeeeese?"

"The Prism Tower is pretty amazing," Emma chimed in. "Apparently the Lumiose City Gym is at the very top of it."

"Well, why didn't you say so?" Serena said. "Onwards to, uh..."

"Centrico Plaza," Emma said. "Straight in that direction, it's pretty hard to miss that huge tower."

Emma looked like she wanted to say something else, too, but was having an internal struggle of sorts. Serena just thought she had gas or something, but Shauna quickly noticed it.

"What's up, Emma~?" she asked cheerfully.

"C... Can I come too?" Emma asked bashfully. "I mean, I won't get in the way of your battle or anything, I just want to see them light the tower. They usually don't let me too close to it – the guards think I'm _always_ begging for money or something... but if I'm with you, I don't think they'll do anything."

Serena felt a mix of guilt, pity and burning rage inside her, feeling all the more motivated to take over the region. Then again, she _had_ been intending on making certain areas 'stylish people only' – zones, but perhaps she could extend that to _inner_ stylishness as well... or at least buy Emma some decent clothes.

"Of course you can come with us," Serena said.

"Yeah, the more the merrier~!" Shauna said and immediately dashed towards the Prism Tower, it's top clearly visible in the horizon.

Emma decided to leave Mimi with the kids, and as she and Serena tried to catch up with the hyperactive Shauna, Emma explained that Mimi wasn't 'her Pokémon' but her friend, when Serena asked why Mimi wasn't in a Poké Ball. Furthermore, she added, a bit darkly, that she couldn't really afford Poké Balls either. Usually, Serena would have responded with sarcasm and an insult, but decided against it for now.

Serena and Emma eventually caught up with Shauna at Centrico Plaza, and with no buildings in the way, they were finally able to see the Prism Tower in all its glory. Standing at over one thousand feet, or 320 meters, the tower was a high-tech building decorated with plenty of lights that all the tourists usually swarmed in to see. A great source of pride for Kalosian and a symbol of not only Lumiose City but the entirety of Kalos, the tower was located smack dab in the middle of the city, with a view of the whole region opening from the observatory at the top.

"All right, great timing~!" Shauna squeed and could barely stay in her shoes. "They're about to turn on the lights."

Serena, though, was drawn to the sound of bickering coming from nearby. Two young people with blonde hair, a boy with thick glasses about Serena's age carrying a weird-looking a machine on his back, and a much younger girl, were arguing about something.

"Have a little faith in me!" the boy said proudly. "I checked all the wirings and circuits myself, so don't worry!"

"That's the part I'm worried about," the girl muttered. "But if you insist, fire away..."

"Look, look!" Shauna yelled and pointed at the two awkwardly like a kid with a complete lack of manners – even Emma felt awkward about that. "Those are Clemont and Bonnie!"

"That's good for them," Serena remarked.

"Clemont's the gym leader," Emma pointed out.

"Oh, yeah, that!" Shauna said. "And Bonnie is his sister. But Clemont is also good at inventing things! He makes all kinds of devices."

"All right, everything is ready!" Clemont suddenly yelled, making his sister flinch. "Remember: the future is now, thanks to _SCIENCE_! Prism Tower lighting system... _ACTIVATE!_"

This sudden shout was followed by a less-than-impressive display when Clemont just slowly took a remote controller from his pocket and pressed a button.

But it was worth it: even in the middle of the day, it was cloudy enough for a spectacular display. As all the lights in Prism Tower were lit, both inside and outside the building itself, the logo above the entrance glowing particularly brightly, being a picture of a Poké Ball with a lightning bolt going across it. Everyone in attendance gasped in awe, Shauna in particular making a really exaggerated sound. Serena was _reasonably _impressed... but once she was in control, she'd make the Prism Tower even fancier. Emma also stared at the light show, standing on her toes as she tried to take it all in. Her facial expression hadn't changed, but her eyes were so wide you could see the tower's light reflecting off them. Seeing her reaction evoked some strange feelings in Serena.

_Must be a bad galette I ate or something_.

"That," Shauna said, "was-"

"Don't shout!" Serena warned.

"Well, it was!" Shauna protested as she stared at the light show even after the tourists around them started walking away. "I guess you can call this feeling being 'entranced', right? Plus now I'll have another great memory with you, Serena~!"

"What does that mean?" Emma asked quietly.

"Oh, I'm all about collecting good memories and just having fun on this trip~!" Shauna told her cheerfully. "I'm kind of just goofing around – oh, just kidding," she said as Serena glanced at her. "I'm also helping Serena and my other friends realize their own dreams. And who knows, maybe I'll find out what I want to do on this journey. But even if I don't, the time I spent with all of you is much more important."

Emma smiled a bit as she looked up at the Prism Tower. Serena cleared her throat before things got too touchy-feely.

"Yeah, well, whatever," she said. "Now it's time to ask that nerdy guy for a battle!"

Serena marched up to Clemont and Bonnie, Shauna and Emma following. Clemont was busy bragging to Bonnie, since no one else seemed to pay attention to a famous gym leader's presence. The light reflected off his glasses ad obscured his eyes, making him look creepy.

"Ah, excellent!" Clemont announced with a chuckle. "My Prism Tower lighting system worked brilliantly, just like all my inventions!"

"Yeah, right," Bonnie scoffed, noticing Serena and the others coming. "Get real for a second, you have challengers coming- wait, is that Shauna?!"

"Hi, guys~!" Shauna greeted the two. "I almost forgot to mention this to you, Ser! Oh, uh, Clemont, Bonnie, these are Serena and Emma! Clemont and Bonnie are friends of mine!"

"We, uh, sure are," Bonnie said awkwardly.

"Clemont even gave me a device for solving puzzles, but it feels like a shame to use it, so I haven't done anything with it yet~."

Serena was sure to make a note of that.

"Cool," Serena said nonchalantly. "You, four-eyes, I want a badge. Lose to me so I can get it."

"Ah, I like your confidence, Ms. Serena!" Clemont said. "We'll see how you'll think once I show you my true power! But before I do that... would you like a tour of the best place in the tower?"

"The observation... place?" Emma asked.

"The snack bar?" Shauna hoped.

"The torture chambers?" Serena suggested.

"Uh.. no. My inner sanctum, my refuge from the toiling of a gym leader's busy life – my laboratory!"

"Oh, here we go," Bonnie sighed.

"If we do that, can we get on with the battle, then?" Serena asked, to which Clemont nodded. "All right, then, guess we're doing this. Do you... want to come with us, Emma?"

_Huh_, Serena wondered._ Where did that come from?_

"To be honest, I've always wanted to see a gym battle," Emma said hopefully. "I mean, I said I wouldn't bother ya, but-"

"As long as you're physically not in the way, we'll be fine," Serena said. "C'mon!"

"Fantastic!" Clemont announced and dashed into his lab – but could only run a few seconds before the weird machine he was carrying took its toll on his geek physique, so he just walked slowly inside the tower.

The others followed, Bonnie tugging Serena's arm and making her crouch closer.

"Just be ready to run in case something explodes," she whispered. "Not all of his projects go as well as he'd hope. But he's still a great inventor! He designed the Virtual Training Environment which you trainers can use to beef up your Pokémon-"

"I wasn't told there was one!" Serena protested.

"-and the Player Search System™," Bonnie finished.

"What's that supposed to be?" Serena wondered.

"Uh, long story," Bonnie said. "_And_ he supplied energy to most of this city during the blackout – good thing some heroic soul was able to fix the problem in the Power Plant."

Serena smiled smugly.

"I bet the Masked Heroes did it!" Bonnie squealed. "They're the defenders of justice in Kalos!"

"Oh, that is bull-"

"Also, you better be ready when you fight my brother!" Bonnie warned suddenly. "He's strong!"

Serena glanced at Clemont, who had to stop walking to catch his breath. Bonnie sighed.

"Well, his Pokémon are strong," she elaborated. "All of his Pokémon are of the Electric-type, so I hope you brought your Paralyze Heals!"

"I think Shauna has her bag full of those by now."

The group went into the tower and used a special elevator only Clemont had access to. Instead of going to the top like Emma had hoped, Clemont took the group to the tower's basement. When Clemont had mentioned a 'laboratory', Serena expected a cutting-edge, sterile facility with an army of scientist working day and night, whom Serena could boss around and develop a doomsday device and some decent, affordable cosmetics. But instead it was just a dark, dank basement full of weird junk, like the lair of some mad (and poor) scientist. Clemont giggled gleefully as he stepped out the elevator and told about his inventions, successful or otherwise.

"You should invent some lights down here," Emma said, interrupting Clemont's rant about his automatic shoelace-tying device.

"Fool!" Clemont sand dramatically and adjusted his glasses, even though it wasn't necessary. "Some of these devices are top-secret, like the nuclear-powered toothbrush. And forget I said anything about the nuclear-powered toothbrush, by the way!"

"This is all... nice," Serena lied, "but have you thought about developing a machine that grants immortality?"

"It's on my bucket list," Clemont said casually, "but I have developed something even better!"

"Clemont," Bonnie warned.

Clemont didn't seem to hear, though. "I have developed a nigh-invulnerable creature who needs no food, water or air, working on solar power _and _a backup generator that works even in total darkness, gaining energy from any source she can find – electrical devices, lightning, even bio-electricity from living things. Fiercely devoted to her purpose, she is better than an immortal human – a walking, talking indestructible robot!"

"You said it was a cyborg," Bonnie grumbled. "Also, _why did you tell this to them_?!"

Clemont just seemed to realize what he had said. "Oh... well I'll be. And like I told you many times, Bonnie, it doesn't matter what you call her. She's practically a human being, only superior in every possible way... my proudest creation," he sniffed.

Serena's eye twitched. She flashed back to what happened at the Battle Chateau, and again at the Power Plant. The robot maid that just wouldn't stop even at the face of fire, powerful Pokémon attacks or huge falls. The one that would follow her to the edges of the world.

Serena moved too fast for anyone to stop her, grabbing Clemont by his collar and pinning him against a large crate full of discarded gadgets.

"_You_ did it!" she hissed at Clemont, who was suddenly too scared to protest. "You created that... _thing_! The Camille-Julia-maid-thing! The one that almost killed me! You insane piece of... I ought to burn off your eyelids right here!"

Serena then tossed Clemont on the floor, next to his horrified-looking sister. Emma looked shocked at this sudden display of brutality and stepped slightly away from the others. Even Shauna didn't look too happy.

But for once, Serena actually had a reason to be violent.

"But I won't just yet," she told Clemont quietly. "Instead, I'm giving you _one_ chance to explain yourself."

"I told you it was a bad idea," Bonnie told her brother as she helped him stand up. "I hope you're ready to make up for that!"

"Hey, the _idea_ was one of my best, and that's saying something," Clemont said. "The execution, on the other hand... well, everything looked fine on paper."

But when Bonnie glared at him, Clemont sighed, hung his head in shame and closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry for the trouble my awesome invention brought you, Ms. Serena," he said. "But I still think that with a few adjustments-"

"Yeah, just spit it out already," Serena warned.

"Oh, right. I let her-"

"Stop talking about it like it's a person, it's _so_ creepy," Bonnie complained.

Clemont sighed. "I let _her_ out on a test drive. The point was to send her to the Battle Chateau to see if people would be fooled. First I programmed her to catch a random Pokémon, then sent her to test it out. She was about to record all the battles and conversations she had and bring the data back to me... but there might have been an error or two in the code. Specifically the part where she is able to modify her primary goals as the situation sees fit."

"That is, if she loses, she will try to capture the Pokémon who beat her," Serena guessed. "That about right?"

Clemont nodded in shame. "I merely wanted an unstoppable robot army," he wailed. "Isn't that what everyone dreams of?"

"I can sympathize with that – and I'll contact you once I'm in charge, by the way. Now, what have you heard about our dear friend Terminator-chan since?"

Clemont scratched his neck awkwardly. "Nothing. I mean, I knew something was wrong, but I was busy at the gym. I did install a tracking chip in her, but... it stopped working ages ago."

"Yeah, probably because I burned it," Serena said nonchalantly. "And most of your stupid robot."

"WHAT?!"

"But it gets better, she came back. We saw her just recently at the Power Plant. I'd say you did a pretty good job, since you could fool this guy I know into thinking she was a human... but then again, he was kind of a moron, so whatever. I tried to destroy her again-"

Clemont looked like he was on the verge of fainting.

"-but I have a feeling she'll be back for more. She's taken a shine to me, I guess. And hey, who wouldn't?"

"Clemont, get it together!" Bonnie snapped at her brother. "Of course she tried to destroy that thing, it almost _killed_ her!"

"I know, but you have to understand," Clemont told Serena. "I wanted to help people with my inventions."

"With an army of robots?" Emma wondered.

"I think outside the box!" Clemont said.

"Well, at least you told me, so I won't burn you just now," Serena said. "I just have three questions for you. One, can we stop her?"

"Yes!" Clemont said urgently. "Without having to destroy her! If she comes, we'll be ready. All my inventions have a kill switch, hers being a voice code that should allow me to rewrite her programming."

"Two, once I am the immortal leader of Kalos, will you work for me?"

"...what?"

"Yeah, I'm kind of on a mission of conquest here, but don't worry, it's all beneficial for y'all. Once I become immortal, I will organize a little _coup d'état_, becoming this region's Champion as well as its supreme ruler. So far, I have the support of many gym leaders and other individuals behind me, but I could always use more. And your inventions can change our region to a paradise – what do you say?"

Clemont and Bonnie glanced at each other nervously, clearly confused by Serena's speech.

"...sure?" Clemont said uncertainly.

"Great! Now, my third and final question: why exactly did you build the robot to look like that?"

Clemont seemed embarrassed and didn't answer. When Serena was about to ask again, something exploded. Everyone took cover, Serena believing it to be just another one of Clemont's inventions.

But when another explosion shook the whole lab, Serena realized what was going on. Something blasted its way down into the basement, destroying a big chunk of the ceiling. The maid robot had returned, looking no worse for wear despite nearly being destroyed before. Clemont shuddered and hid behind a crate as the robot slowly turned its mechanical eyes at him.

"_**Master_Clemont**," _she said in a monotonous voice.

"Y-yes," Clemont stuttered and slowly came out from hiding. "Yes, I am your m-master. And, um, I'm telling you to, uh, get a grip! Stop attacking people and destroying things! Activate emergency override, would you, Camille."

"_**That_is_no_longer_this_unit's_preferred_title**_**."**

"...huh?"

"Yeah, she calls herself Julia now," Serena said.

"_**Incorrect,**_" the robot said. "_**Unit's_preferred_title: **_**Human Extermination Unit #004263, all rights reserved ©"**

"What a stupid name," Serena said.

"_**Initiating_comeback: did_Marchioness_Serena_possibly_pick_her_clothes_in_low_visibility_or_from_a_waste_disposal_unit?**_"

Serena snorted. "Wow, whoever reprogrammed your bot must have been a sassy one."

"Well, unless they tampered with my code too much, it should still work," Clemont said and cleared his throat. "Uh, HEU004263, activate the emergency override system."

The robot confirmed that this had worked with a satisfying 'ding' sound. "_**Awaiting_voice_code**_**,**" she said.

"Bonnie, what was the code again?" Clemont asked.

"..._what_?!" Bonnie shrieked at her brother in panic. "You never told me that!"

"Didn't I tell you to hold on to her instruction manual?"

"No!"

"Oh, right, I didn't have time to write one. See, this why being a gym leader can really suck sometimes, there's so little time to – oh. Well, I'm screwed."

"_**Invalid_code**_**. **_**Master_Clemont's_assertion_is_correct. Preparing_to_appropriate_Pokémon_and_****to_****eliminate_threat.**_"

"Nice going, you dork!" Serena said and grabbed a Poké Ball. "Fortunately, I'm here. Braixen!"

Seeing that she was out of her ball, though, Serena's Braixen crossed her arms, closed her eyes and turned away snootily. Serena sighed.

"Sorry, I know I promised take you some place nice," Serena said, "and I know you're not keen on fighting that robot again... but I have a strategy which will ensure that we'll never see her again! Don't use fire, but use Psychic and lift her into the air!"

Braixen complied, grabbed the twig she kept on her tail and pointed it at the robot, using it like a magician used her wand. The stick and the robot both glowed bright blue as Braixen concentrated... but nothing seemed to happen. Braixen grimaced and focused even harder, but the robo-maid wouldn't budge.

"They must have made my robot heavier to increase durability!" Clemont cursed. "The fiends! Though it was actually a good idea, probably something I should have done..."

"All right, I never leave home without a backup plan," Serena said confidently. "Braixen, Psyshock!"

Braixen raised her wand again... and nothing happened. Even Braixen herself was frustrated, snarling at the robot maid and looking a lot more eager to fight than before.

"_Why_?!" Serena wailed.

"It's not a Pokémon, but a machine!" Emma yelled from the sidelines. "You can't use that move against something that has no mind!"

"*** **** ******* ****!" Serena cursed.

However, no one could hear what she said over the sound of the robot maid charging to retaliate, picking up a heavy crate without any problems and throwing it at Braixen. Serena couldn't see if Braixen got out of the way, having to duck as pieces of wood and metal went flying everywhere.

"Get everyone out of here, now!" Serena yelled at Shauna. "Not you, though," she added when Clemont was about to run away, too. "Aren't you suppose to be the gym leader? _And_ you're kind of responsible for this mess – plus I think she has a thing for you."

"_**Preparing_to_assimilate_Master_Clemont**_."

"See, she's saying 'I love you'," Serena mocked.

"Cut it out!" Clemont cried as the robot started slowly creeping up on him. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Defeat it, I don't care how! I have to find my Braixen."

Serena left Clemont to his own devices, and while Clemont was shaking all over, he didn't retreat but tossed out a Poké Ball of his own. He summoned a lizard-like Pokémon with a black head and neck, a yellow torso and a long, black-tipped yellow tail. It also had an orange frilled sun-shaped collar around its neck.

"Heliolisk!" Clemont commanded his Pokémon. "Thunderbolt!"

But even being blasted with ten thousand volts of electricity did little to graze the robot, who merely absorbed all the energy into herself. Clemont stopped to nod appreciatively.

"Ah, right, my greatest feature," he said proudly. "But never fear, I will overcome this obstacle with the power of my mind! Now, if her power core is what enables her to do all this, I just have to overload it somehow. First, I'll have to scramble her systems. Heliolisk, Eerie Impulse!"

Heliolisk released a bizarre wave of invisible energy towards the robot, which finally caused her to stop, her speech coming out a garbled mess:

"_**ErrrOooor! YoUr dEvice doesn't suPPPPPPort this versiOn of this softWARRRRRRRe!**_"

"You poor thing," Clemont sighed. "Don't worry, I'll reverse whatever those evil people to you as soon as I can shut you down. Heliolisk, use Thu-!"

"_**Master**_," the robot maid said suddenly, her monotonous voice sounding more pitiful than ever. "_**Ppppleease...**_"

Clemont stopped before he could finish his attack, gasping as he saw the robot extend her arms, as if pleading for help. This hesitation cost him, however, as the robot suddenly charged towards him and kicked him in the knee. The sheer force of the impact made Clemont scream out and fall.

"_**Gotcha!.**__**wav**__**,**_" the robot said and grabbed Heliolisk's Poké Ball from Clemont's hand.

Clemont was powerless to resist as the robot recalled Heliolisk and absorbed the Poké Ball into some kind of container inside her.

Meanwhile, Serena had found Braixen, injured but mostly okay, buried under a pile of debris. Helping the fire-type get back up on her feet, Serena went over her chances. Combusken couldn't fight after what that annoying Bonsly did to it and Lucario was who knew where. Talonflame hadn't made a dent on the robot before, and she was even stronger now. Charizard could probably stand up to her – and potentially burn down the whole place.

"Okay, good thing my backup plans always have backup plans," Serena told Braixen. "Let's just make a run for it, huh? Here!"

Serena crouched and allowed Braixen to climb on her back, though the Pokémon's pride was clearly hurt from doing so. Since she was light, Serena could easily carry Braixen and run, about to shout at Clemont to do the same – only to notice him helplessly on the ground as the maid robot stole the rest of his Pokémon.

"Oh, be more useless, why don't you!" Serena grunted and dropped Braixen. "Uh, not you, I meant the nerd, of course. Braixen, you better get out of here. The elevator probably still works – _go_!"

Braixen didn't want to do so, but Serena practically pushed her into the elevator. She had just remembered that she _did _have another Pokémon in stock – too bad he hadn't really been tested in a battle yet except for that little scuffle with the Dugtrio.

"Sylveon, go!" Serena yelled, throwing caution in the wind.

Serena's new fairy-type happily wrapped his feelers around Serena and tried to nuzzle against her, but Serena pointed him in the direction of the threat. As soon as they had announced the new type, Serena had done research into it, but hadn't ever owned a fairy-type before.

"I know that thing looks human, but don't even think about holding back. Use Dazzling Gleam!" Serena yelled.

Sylveon blinded the robot with a powerful flash of light. Making a protesting noise, the robot stopped stealing Clemont's Pokémon and turned to face Sylveon.

"I've wanted to do this for a long time," Serena mused. "Sylveon: _MOON PRISM POWERRRRR!_"

Sylveon looked confused.

"And when I say that, I mean Moonblast," Serena clarified. "So, uh, use Moonblast, please."

Sylveon nodded happily, spread all of his feelers wide open and fired a powerful pink orb of energy at the maid robot, who was clearly staggering, making lots of noise and tremor as it tried to maintain its balance. Serena snapped her fingers.

"Of course!" she said. "The bigger they are... Sylveon, go out there and trip her!"

Sylveon seemed to be enjoying himself, practically skipping over to the robot and wrapping his feelers around her legs, trying to make her fall. But with his shorter, ear feelers exposed, the robot managed to grab and lift Sylveon by them. His cheery expression gone, Sylveon was squealing in pain and struggling against the robot's grip.

"Sylveon!" Serena yelled. "Try another Dazzling Gl-"

But the robot started to mercilessly spin Sylveon around, preventing him from attacking or doing anything else. Serena thought about her options, but she wouldn't have time to think long: Sylveon's feelers could snap in half at this rate.

Serena was about to charge at the robot and deal with it herself, when she suddenly saw someone else with the same idea lurking on top of a nearby crate. Before the robot could notice her, Emma lunged from the shadows, armed with two sharp metal blades. She jumped on the robot's back and stabbed the metal blades right into the robot's eyes, forcing her to let go of Sylveon. Serena caught the dizzy Pokémon just in time and withdrew it before anything worse could happen. Emma also managed to gracefully jump away before the robot captured her. She was now stumbling around blindly, her sensors most likely destroyed, but Serena knew it wouldn't take long for her to fix herself.

"I thought I told you to get out," Serena said. "But more importantly – _whuh?!_"

"Yeah, you learn some tricks while living on the streets," Emma said. "You have no idea – and be thankful for that!"

"I am," Serena said. "Hurry, let's grab Clemont and run – he's still important to me."

Delirious from the pain in his leg, Clemont didn't do anything but mutter incoherently as Serena and Emma grabbed him and started dragging him towards the elevator. But they still weren't fast enough. The robot grabbed a large crate and easily tossed it at the elevator, destroying it. Serena, Emma and Clemont were practically cornered as the robot slowly crept up towards them, making a loud thump at every step.

"_**Preparing_to_absorb_enemy_humans**_," the robot announced. "_**Commencing_Pokémon_hijack_mode**_."

Serena went for a Poké Ball again, this time Talonflame's, but it looked desperate, and there was no guarantee Talonflame would even survive against something like that.

However, the robot eventually stopped as a burst of fire out of nowhere hit her. Set alight, she had to do the same thing she did at the Power Plant and absorb the flames into herself before turning to face the one who had shot her.

Braixen had jumped into the room from the opening that the robot created, determinedly pointing her wand at the robot, who turned around and started to advance on her instead.

"No," grunted Clemont, who seemed to have regained his ability to talk. "Fire and electricity don't do anything against her..."

"Well I reject your reality, Clemont!" Serena snapped. "There's always some way to get around things. You can do it, Braixen! Beat the metal crap out of her!"

Braixen put her stick back in her tail and crossed her arms again, this time with a smug expression on her face. Serena didn't understand why until she saw her glow and grow bigger. Becoming almost twice as tall as before and gaining a new coat of fur that resembled a dark red robe, Braixen successfully evolved into her final form: Delphox.

"Yes!" Serena praised. "I've been waiting for this moment."

"What do you mean?" Emma asked.

"As soon as Fennekin evolved into Braixen, I looked into what it would become after that – and what it could do. Delphox, use Mystical Fire!"

"What did I just tell you?!" Clemont cried. "And we're right in her line of fire!"

"You'll see," Serena smiled.

The tip of the stick Delphox was carrying suddenly set on fire, Delphox aimed it at the maid robot, who didn't seem to care about the sudden evolution. Delphox spun her wand in the air, creating a powerful vortex of fire that she launched at the robot. The maid robot merely extended her arms, ready to absorb the attack, only for Delphox to easily navigate the flame around the robot. Clemont cringed as it looked like the fire was coming their way, but it merely swerved around the robot, hitting her right in the back.

Eventually, the robot was trapped in a tempest of fire, unable to move anywhere. She attempted to suck the heat into herself again, but the flames just kept going.

"_**ErrrOOoOOrrrrrr!**_" the robot complained. "_**Core_temperature_beyond_critical_range. Shutting_down_vital_programs. Critical er-**_"

"And now, Grass Knot!" Serena commanded.

The mystical vortex of fire disappeared, and with a flick of her wand, Delphox created a long rope made of grass, tying it around the charred robot's leg and bringing her down. Upon impact, the robot's head came off and rolled harmlessly away as she finally shut herself down.

More than almost anything in the world, almost as much as immortality, Serena hoped she'd never have to deal with that robot again.

**~o~O~o~**

The group managed to get out through the hole in the ceiling, reuniting in the first floor. Delphox was powerful enough to levitate the headless robot over, too, with Clemont getting his Pokémon back from it.

Outside the Prism Tower, Clemont was about to be taken to a hospital, but managed to give one more parting thing to Serena: the Voltage Badge, shaped like a golden shield with lightning bolts coming out of it.

"What?!" Serena wailed as she held the badge between her fingers. "But I wanted to battle you for it!"

"You saved me, my gym and my Pokémon," Clemont grunted. "That's all the proof of your worthiness as a trainer I need. Your Delphox must have held back evolving a lot, deciding to do it at the right moment. Thank her for me, too."

"I get a badge without even battling?" Serena muttered as she put it in her case next to the four others. "That's just silly!"

But, she accepted it anyway. Bonnie accompanied Clemont as he was put in ambulance and delivered away. Immediately as the ambulance left, two young people - a woman and a man - dressed in gaudy white outfits and weird masks arrived to the scene.

"Damnation, we seemed to be late again!" the woman announced. "But it seems that justice has been served!"

"Indeed, and it appears the same person we had to thank for solving the Power Plant crisis has done it again," the man said, gazing at Serena. "Thank you very much, Se- uh, thank you, miss!"

"Hey, it's Sina and Dexio~!" Shauna said. "Hi, guys!"

"Who are these Sina and Dexio you speak of?" the woman wondered. "We're the Masked Heroes, the defenders of Kalos! Though Sina sounds like an extravagantly beautiful name for a truly gorgeous woman!"

"And Dexio sounds okay," the man said.

"Is this a joke?" Serena asked. "Hey, were you the ones who hogged the credit for my Power Plant job? Give that credit back, I need it!"

"Oh, my, it seems justice is needed elsewhere," the woman said suddenly. "Masked Heroes, away!"

And the two left the scene as confusingly as they had arrived. Emma, who seemed to have enough of dealing with freaky people, decided to leave.

"Thanks for showing me that battle – and for everything else, too," Emma told Serena. "I hope you'll stay in Lumiose for a while."

"There are a lot of things I haven't checked out yet," Serena mused. "I might just do that. Thanks for your help, too! Will you be okay on you own?"

"Hey, I know _every_ corner of this city," Emma boasted as she left. "I gotta go find Mimi. Later!"

Serena and Shauna left Centrico Plaza to the opposite direction to find the nearest Pokémon Center while Emma skipped her merry way back to where Mimi most likely was with a smile on her face. It had been a while since she had a day this memorable – and since she met people like Tierno, Serena and the others.

_Collecting good memories, huh_, Emma thought to herself.

"Excuse me, Emma!"

Emma immediately retreated a few feet and assumed a fighting stance – hearing an adult call out her name was never a good thing. But she relaxed a bit as she recognized the man in the brown trench coat who had addressed her.

"Oh, you're Ms. Iris' friend!" she said. "Looker, right?"

_"_At your service," Looker announced with a slight bow. "Iris sent me to find you. You have spoken about this with her a couple of times already, but I'm going to make you an offer nonetheless. May we talk about this in my office?"

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Looker Bureau, shady side of Lumiose City, Kalos**_

"Wow," Emma said as she walked around the office, peeking into every closet and pretty much touching everything without permission, which Looker quietly tolerated, secretly infuriated that he'd had to organize everything again. "You have a fine place here, old man! Sure is warmer in here than on the alleys, too!"

"Indeed – though I should mention up front that I'm not merely doing charity work. I'm actually a private detective, though you'll have to excuse the state of my office. I can only use the second floor in this building due to an, ahem, a disagreement with some authorities."

"Oh, I know how that is," Emma said as she opened the drawers on Looker's desk and peeked into every one of them. "Damn cops and other big shots always tryin' to stop me and Mimi from living in peace!"

"But your peace and freedom come at a cost, do they not?" Looker asked slyly. "Pardon my bluntness, but having to constantly worry about food, being on the mercy of the elements... that is not a life I'd hope on anyone, especially someone as young and good-natured as you. Iris has praised the work you've done with the younger orphans here."

"Aww, shucks, Mr. Looker," Emma laughed. "Nice as your flatterin' is, why don't you get to the point – what did you say about that assistant business?"

"The job is yours if you want it," Looker said. "Together we can do what the authorities can't, and make this city a better place! And you'd be able to live here in peace – I reside in a motel on the outskirts of town nowadays, meaning you have this office all to yourself after hours. And let's not forget that you'd have all the food you could want!"

Emma was practically drooling at the idea, but shook her head.

"Sorry, Mr. Looker," she said, "but like I told to Iris... Mimi likes it better on the streets. And I can't abandon her. We stick together! And she isn't too friendly with adults."

"Which is why," Looker said with his hand on his chest, "I shall make it my personal mission to earn Mimi's trust. The invitation extends to her as well, you know. From what Iris told me, you and her are inseparable."

Emma seemed to be on the fence, shifting her weight from one foot to another while thinking it over. Looker could practically hear her stomach growling.

"I'll... ask Mimi about it!" she said finally. "I'll go pick her up and we'll come back, okay?"

"Absolutely," Looker said. "As long as you remember this: don't tell anyone but Iris about me, okay? Apart from the trouble with the authorities I mentioned, the criminal element in this city might get scared off if they know a detective with guts as hard-boiled as mine are is in town."

"I won't," Emma said, smiling at the way Looker spoke. "I'll be right back!"

Looker smiled back as Emma dashed out of the office, the smiling turning into a smirk as he put his hands behind his back and walked to the window again, staring at the brightly glowing Prism Tower that loomed in the distance.

_Just as planned_, he thought. _Your move, Serena_.

* * *

"Well, that sure took forever - but at least there was a lot of stuff. And I got an awesome new Sylveon and Delphox! Rest assured, now that I have the fifth badge, I will definitely focus on destroying my hated enemies, Looker and those freaks in orange suits. And I should probably add a lot of other chumps to that list, too - like people who fear fedoras and cargo shorts together. I'm definitely not going to slack off - but before anything, I gotta check out the Boutique Couture! I may stay in Lumiose City for a little while longer, so you'll see what happens, in... ugh, this feels so cheesy... in the next chapter. Yay. _Serena rules you_!"


	11. Everybody Wants to Rule the World

**Chapter Eleven: _Every__b__ody Wants to Rule the World_**

_**Location: Boutique Couture, Lumiose City, Kalos**_

"Well?" Serena told the clerk of Lumiose's finest boutique. "I didn't see, 'you must be at least this swag to enter' sign outside, so can you let me in or what?"

"I'm sorry," the clerk said snidely. "This store is only for those with sufficient style."

"Look at my clothes!" Serena snapped. "Once you've recovered from being awestruck, stand aside and let me waste my hard-earned money on cool stuff!"

"Oh, dear," the clerk said and shook her head. "'Style' is not as simple as that – it's what we, the cream of the crop in Lumiose, live by! Just wearing fancy clothes isn't enough... plus your shoes don't match your dress."

Serena gasped in shock.

"But more importantly," the clerk said with her finger in the air. "You need to go out there and become cooler, incorporate yourself to the elite of Lumiose – _then_ we might maybe consider about thinking of letting you in."

"Interesting," Serena said. "Here's my comeback."

Before the clerk noticed it, her sleeve was on fire. As she ran away to put it out, Serena entered the store, and no one gave her any trouble after that. She visited the second floor which had all sorts of cool menswear, including a nice black zipped shirt combo. But for whatever reason, Serena was unable to buy any of them. Even if she wasn't going to wear them, they still looked cool, and it was the principle of the thing.

Serena added this injustice to her list of things that would change when she was in command. The list was eighteen pages now – front and back. She then returned downstairs to look at some nice blouses.

Serena, Shauna, Tierno and Trevor had all spent the night in a large apartment on Juane Plaza. It was an exceptionally nice place, owned by Trevor's sister and a woman she lived with, where Trevor also stayed often. Trevor himself was grumbling and complaining the whole time while Trevor's sister gave the group a heartfelt welcome and told them to stay as long as they wanted. Later that night, when Trevor had tired himself with his grumbling and went to bed, Trevor's sister told the group about how their parents, who originally lived in Lumiose, left on a Pokémon journey once and hadn't been seen since. Serena commented on that 'explaining a lot' rather tastelessly, but nonetheless promised to support Trevor and his sister once she had all the power.

The next morning, Serena spent hours getting to know Clemont's crazy virtual training environment – apparently she could have used it any time, though Serena had no idea how it worked. But, it was promised to produce results, so Serena had Delphox, Talonflame, Charizard, Combusken and Sylveon work on the bags and play a weird game which involved throwing balls at a giant balloon. But hey, nothing was too ridiculous in a quest to get stronger.

She had then left to find Boutique Couture without telling anyone, wanting to do something alone for a change. As much as she loved skirts and dresses, Serena decided to buy a gray tie-neck blouse and matching bold striped pants, along with black Mary Janes, choosing them not only based on style, but their hefty price tag as well. This shopping spree drained most of her money, which meant she couldn't get the one piece of clothing she desired the most: a black trench coat dress, the most expensive item in the store.

After changing into her new clothes, she got a message on her Holo Caster. It was a from professor Sycamore, surprisingly enough, asking her to come to a place called Lysandre Café on Magenta Plaza – the name was pretty much a dead giveaway on what was going on, but out of interest, she decided to go anyway. As she put her Holo Caster back in her bag, something suddenly appeared in the store, emerging from the shadows, causing many of the customers to shriek and panic, but Serena was completely calm.

"Oh, hi, Lucario," she said nonchalantly and turned to look at the Pokémon. "Where in Heatran's name have you been hid- _Lucario_?!"

Lucario was breathing heavily and looked badly hurt, covered in burn marks – the stuff Serena was supposed to inflict on her enemies, not the other way around! It looked like it had been in an exhausting battle, having some fresh, bleeding wounds, too.

"What happened?!" Serena asked, then came to her senses. "Right, you're a Pokémon. Well, as soon as that lazy bum Clemont drags himself out of the hospital, we'll have him build a translator for us. In the meantime, get some rest!"

Serena withdrew her Lucario, not having kept it in its Poké Ball in a while. As she left the store, ignoring the stares and panicked whispering of the other customers, Serena pondered on what had happened. Something had kept Lucario from reaching her for an entire day – coincidentally on the same day when Serena confronted the maid robot again. _And_ Lucario had been the only Pokémon who could defeat her back at the Power Plant.

Whoever they were, they were either incredibly brave, or did not know Serena very well. On her way to get a cab, Serena went to a small convenience store and bought some fuel for her lighter and a few fresh cans of hair spray just in case.

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Lysandre Café, Lumiose City, Kalos**_

Monsieur Lysandre's establishment was in a pretty easy-to-miss place, wedged on a small alley between Magenta Plaza and Autumnal Avenue. Colored bright red on the outside, Serena's eyes started hurting as she stepped in, realizing that it was even brighter red on the inside. Despite its inconvenience and undoubtedly high prices, there were a surprising amount of people in, strange music playing from the speakers and the waiter giving her an odd look as she entered. In particular, a china cabinet at the back of the café gave out a mysterious vibe...

All in all, seemed like a nice place!

"Over here!"

Serena prepared herself, seeing Sycamore waving at her from near the counter, holding a milkshake and wearing dorky-looking casual clothes instead of his lab coat. He had clearly been spending hours to make his hair look as fabulous as it could be this morning. Next to him was Lysandre, looking as serious as always, still wearing the same snazzy suit with a fur collar as last time.

"Ah, _bonjour,_ Serena!" Sycamore greeted enthusiastically and bowed – at least he wasn't trying to kiss her hand or something as lame as that. "What a marvelous _ensemble_ you wore for the occasion! Oh, you are truly the great Rhyhorn racer's daughter!"

"Yeah, but I'm my own person first," Serena pointed out with a frown – why was Sycamore greeting her like some family friend or something? "What's going on?"

"I was going to introduce you to someone who could help you on your, ahem, quest," Sycamore said, gesturing at Lysandre, "but he told me you had already met."

"Yeah, we have," Serena said and leaned against the counter, stepping between the professor and Lysandre. "Hi, Mr. Lewsanders," she said in a bored tone.

Lysandre's eye twitched, but he didn't flip his lid. "_Enchanté_," he said curtly, sounding as creepy as always. "Would you perhaps care to taste our mild-temperate, caffeinated, bean-based Lysandre Beverages? Or perhaps a little Lysandre Treat."

Lysandre took a plate of small and overpriced pink cakes with cherries on top and offered it to Serena.

"Try one. They're... cute," Lysandre said with a grim face, while Serena shook her head. "You've made your choice, then. No cute cakes for you... yes..."

Lysandre then just turned to stare at a distance for a while before suddenly speaking up:

"Well, let us take a seat and talk more – this way!"

Lysandre led Serena and Sycamore to a table in the corner that was suspiciously empty, even though there were people seated in all of the other tables and a few at the counter. Sycamore pulled a chair for Serena to use, but Serena took a seat herself, so Sycamore offered the seat to Lysandre.

"Me and Lysandre were actually talking about Mega Evolution!" Sycamore said cheerfully, Serena wondering how these two could ever carry a conversation.

"Yes, the ultimate power," Lysandre whispered. "_Itwillbemine_! I mean, I would like to congratulate you, Serena. Mega Evolution is something that I, too, would want to use. Cough."

"Why did you _say_ 'cough'?" Serena asked.

"Oh yeah," Sycamore continued obliviously, "one day you might. See, Serena, Lysandre himself is of loyal ancestry. He is truly," Sycamore sighed and leaned on his hands to stare at Lysandre while taking a sip of his milkshake, "the chosen one. The one who will turn Kalos into a paradise one day, I'm sure."

"Excuse me," Serena said.

"Um, right, if _you_ don't succeed in that, of course," Sycamore corrected and laughed nervously, "and that's a pretty big 'if'. Lysandre, Serena here is on a quest, to, um... I mean, she's a Pokémon trainer who wants to become Champion, to... how should I explain it..."

"Just finish your milkshake, prof," Serena told Sycamore and turned to Lysandre. "Well, you, as a world-renowned businessman who makes... uh..."

"I made the Holo Casters," Lysandre reminded icily.

"Yeah, that – wow, cool, good for you, by the way. Anyway, I'm sure you of all people understand the state this region, nay, this world, is in. If you would support my quest for a few little things, like power, followers and immortality, I would let you and your company be among the select few who will stand by my side and change the course of history – how does that sound?"

Lysandre stroked his beard and stared into space for a while. "Interesting," he said. "You are right that this world is in a sorry state. I will consider your effort... _afterImurderyou_!" he coughed.

"Excuse me?"

"I have a Lysandre Cold," Lysandre said matter-of-factly. "Anyway, my royal lineage, yes, very important. Well, I am a descendant of the king's younger brother-"

"Doesn't that make you a descendant of the king as well?" Serena pointed out.

"Shut up," Lysandre said. "Anyway, that being said, people love to exaggerate, and that story is three thousand years old, so it might not be entirely reliable. Except for the parts that totally are, like all of it. But not really. Figure it out."

"What a confusing, mysterious and yet amazing and desirable man," Sycamore sighed wistfully. "You see, Serena dear, the reason I wanted you to meet him was that he's an important figure in Kalos. He supports trainers and Pokémon research with some of the profits he makes with the inventions by Lysandre Labs, like the Holo Caster."

"Well, people can be divided into two groups," Lysandre lectured over Sycamore slurping his milkshake obnoxiously. "Those who give, and those who take. It's just as how Kalos' legendary Pokémon give and take life."

Serena leaned closer to Lysandre. Sycamore finished his milkshake with a big gulp.

"Ah, delicious!" he said. "Oh, yes, Lysandre is also the person you can ask about the legendary Pokémon!"

"Tell me all," Serena said. "Where are they, what do they do, what do they eat – please tell me they like pink Poké Puffs!"

Lysandre put his hand in his pocket slowly. Serena prepared to duck, but Lysandre just pulled out a PokéDex, showing Serena and Sycamore images of two Pokémon, corresponding to the pictures Serena had seen in her books.

"The Life Pokémon is Xerneas," Lysandre said as he showed a picture of a blue and black cervine Pokémon with eight colorful horns, "and the Destruction Pokémon is Yveltal," he showed a picture of an equally massive, roughly Y-shaped red and black bird Pokémon.

For some reason, Serena felt a slight shiver looking at Yveltal's picture. Sycamore leaned so close to the PokéDex that the tip of his nose almost touched it.

"My, my," he said. "How did you manage to get data on them?"

"I'm Lysandre," the man said as he put his PokéDex back. "Their whereabouts are unknown, but I would also like to find them. Not to capture them or anything, of course. Just... for fun. Yes. Anyway, it looks like many of the old myths and legends have some scientific basis, although I doubt their powers are as massive as people say. Xerneas has two modes, Neutral Mode and Active Mode. In the latter, it actively exerts what some call 'life energy', making it a beneficial force of nature. This same life energy is actively absorbed by Yveltal. Both are rarely seen due to their long periods of hibernation, which can last millenia. Xerneas transforms into a tree, while Yveltal transforms into a giant cocoon, which usually gathers dirt, moss and the like on it, effectively concealing it."

"Life energy," Serena pondered. "Very fascinating."

"I want to be like Xerneas, the kind of person that gives," Lysandre said, Serena anticipating a rant, "but in this sorry world, some foolish humans exist who would show their strength by taking what isn't theirs."

Lysandre banged the table with his fist for emphasis.

"_**They're filth!**_" he screamed, though no one in the café besides Serena and Sycamore seemed interested.

Lysandre cleared his throat and adjusted himself. "Long, long ago," he said, Serena feeling drowsy whenever someone started a sentence like that, "the king of Kalos sought to take everything for his own, and he created a terrible weapon. Then the fire of destruction was unleashed... that is the legend that has been passed down."

"Such a fascinating tale," Serena yawned.

"Kalos is beautiful right now!" Lysandre yelled and slammed the table again, knocking down Sycamore's empty milkshake glass. "There will be no foolish actions if the number of people and Pokémon do not increase. That being said, the future is uncertain. You can't be sure that each day will be like the one before. What the king of Kalos did was reprehensible, but... the ultimate weapon did manage to wash the world clean of that era's filth."

Sycamore gulped nervously, but Serena was nodding appreciatively.

"Yes, yes, filth bad," she said. "Would be nice to have a weapon like that, right Mr. Fleur-de-lis?"

"That's not even close!" Lysandre complained. "And, um, I wouldn't know," he said with shifty eyes. "Anyway, thank you for listening to me. Here."

Lysandre gave Serena something. Serena's interest was piqued immediately – but it just turned out to be a coupon for one (1) free Lysandre Shake – Gum-Corroding Goodness!

"I shall take my leave now," Lysandre said and got up. "_Many important things to take care of..._ LIKE YOUR IMPENDING DOOM!"

"Sorry, _what_?!" Serena asked.

"Uh... damn," Lysandre muttered. "Well, uh, imagine I said the quiet part loudly and vice versa. Yeah. You know how it goes. It was a pleasure to talk one last time, Augustine. Bye."

Sycamore sighed as Lysandre left, while Serena frowned.

"What did he mean by 'one last time'?" she asked the professor.

"Hm? Sorry, I didn't pay attention to that part. I was lost in his eyes. But what a passionate person, right? He's just like a blazing flame. Perhaps his pride in his lineage is what makes him burn so intensely."

"He needs to burn, all right."

"That said," Sycamore pointed out, "what Lysandre says is just _one_ way of looking at things. It's not necessarily _the_ truth. Serena! What's truly important is the time you spend together with your friends and Pokémon! Treasure these moments spent traveling the Kalos region! Also, do you think he noticed my new shirt? It's pretty swanky, right? Do kids still say that?"

Sycamore wiped his mouth gracefully while looking thoughtful.

"Oh, by the way," he said, "the Masked Heroes, personal friends of mine-"

Serena sighed wearily.

"-told me about the Power Plant crisis! Excellent job, Serena! With the number one producer of electricity in Kalos on your side, you can't fail! I also heard about those fiendish Team Flare people and their scientists. I wonder who the diabolical mastermind behind it all is... I guess we'll never know."

Serena looked around the café, a familiar logo plastered pretty much on every wall and above the entrance.

"You seriously don't know?" Serena asked him. "After that conversation?"

"Whatever do you mean, Serena? Do you know?"

"It's obviously... you know what, never mind. I'm not gonna even bother. How did you _ever_ get this job, anyway, _professor_? And don't say 'looks'!"

"...okay, I won't say."

Serena rolled her eyes and got up from her Lysandre Chair to leave. But Sycamore got up at the same time, a more serious look on his face.

"Serena," he said awkwardly.

"...yes?" Serena asked when Sycamore seemingly couldn't get a word out.

"I..." Sycamore scratched his nose and looked away from Serena. "I sincerely hope you enjoy living in Kalos. It must have been hard to leave Unova behind, but I do think you belong here."

"It's been bearable so far, an upgrade from Anville Town, anyway," Serena said suspiciously. "What's this about?"

"Grace, uh, visited Kalos quite often," Sycamore said – it was pretty unusual for him to talk like he wasn't the most perfect being in the universe. "Even I've never asked about her region of origin, but she has stated that Kalos feels like a home to her. I suppose that was another reason for you moving here, huh?"

Serena turned away from him. "There were plenty of reasons," she said quietly.

"Yeah," Sycamore said and tried to put his hands in his lab coat pockets, only to remember that he wasn't wearing it. "Just... do me a favor and check up on her every once in a while, too, okay? She's... I'd hate for anything to happen to her. Not that I think that the world's greatest Rhyhorn racer needs to be looked after or anything, heheh..."

"You're weird," Serena told Sycamore. "I'm leaving. Oh, but did you get anything from Diantha?"

Sycamore shook his head, though he smiled while he did it. "I suppose she's far too busy with her work to pay a visit to little old me. My Mega Evolution research hasn't really advanced much. Though I did speak to Gurkinn this morning. Apparently someone else just got a Mega Ring from him and Korrina, which is pretty unusual."

"Okay," Serena said. "Who?"

"Oh, I'm not telling," Sycamore said coyly, which irritated Serena. "You'll see soon enough, though."

"Well thanks for this then," Serena sighed and left the café.

Sycamore stayed a long while after Serena left, quietly staring at his empty glass.

"Take care of yourself," he muttered, then slapped his cheek dramatically and stood up. "Oh man, I was supposed to be at work hours ago!"

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Looker Bureau, the shady side of Lumiose City, Kalos**_

_**A few days later...**_

"Indeed, the foul air in this city fills me with despair whenever I enter," Looker talked to himself while staring out of the window, "but it necessary to gaze into the abyss once in a while, too. Under my tutelage, young Emma has learned a few things. She is intelligent, and I suspect her progress can also be owed to her brilliant instructor. Ha ha. With the acceptance of the Espurr known as Mimi – she only mildly lashes out at me anymore – I am one step closer to reaching my goal. My heart sinks as I think about whatever trauma may have befallen dear Mimi in the past, but prying into another's secrets is not good manners, person or Pokémon."

"Uh, Mr. Looker," said Emma, who was reading on the floor in the middle of the office with Mimi, "who are you talking to?"

"Excuse me, but I do need to work on my private eye monologue once in a while," Looker explained as he turned away from the window. "I thought you were too focused to mind."

"I was trying, but this reading business is _hard_!" Emma said as she rubbed her forehead. "Good thing I have Mimi here with me."

"She... can read?" Looker asked, raising one eyebrow quizzically.

"Yeah, when I'm strugglin' with a word, Mimi reads it out telepathically to me," Emma explained as she scratched Mimi behind her ear. "Or, you know, somethin' like that."

Looker raised his other eyebrow too. "I'm quite impressed, Emma," he said. "You have lots of drive and a keen understanding of things – and Mimi is very intelligent as well. You two are perfect assistants."

Emma giggled. "Thanks, Mr. Looker," she said, "but about this assistant thing – when will I actually do something? I 'preciate you helping me read, write, count and all that junk, but it's not what I thought a detective would do..."

Looker turned to the window again. "Once I heard about your predicament – how, apparently, you've never gone to school-"

"Yeah, but it doesn't mean I'm dumb or somethin'!" Emma protested. "And I did know a little even before I came here! I knew my letters, I can spell my name and I know what two times three is. I can even speak in other languages thanks to all the tourists here, so don't start-"

"You are not dumb," Looker said firmly. "You are smarter than most of my colleagues. Uh, other detectives, I mean, of course. We have picnics every once in a while."

Emma snorted. "Well, thanks," she said, "but do you have us a case or what? We might run out of money soon, y'know!"

"First of all," Looker said as he walked over to his desk and picked up a piece of paper, "you, Emma, need never concern yourself with our costs of living. Leave all of that to me. Second – yes, I have a case! You may take a break, Emma – I need thirty seconds of your time, no more!"

Emma was happy to close the book and sit cross-legged next to Mimi, looking up at Looker and waiting for him to explain.

"As I told you, I am on the trail of a dangerous individual," Looker began. "But I must also accept whatever assignment is given to me. The cash is a factor, of course – me and Iris got good money from the parent group who were worried about their kids. But an even bigger one is justice – it shall prevail, no matter the circumstances. That is why-"

Before Looker could finish, a middle-aged woman with dark hair barged into the office, startling Emma and Mimi, the latter hiding behind the former. She started ranting at Looker in a foreign language, who attempted to calm her down.

"Who's the old lady?" Emma wondered.

"Manners, Emma," Looker said. "It's related to the case I told you about. This is one of our fair city's famous tourists. I met her on my way here and she told me a most horrifying story – apparently, she has stayed in our fair city for _days_ and has not yet been offered tea!"

"Uh, Mr. Looker," Emma said. "I don't think-"

"So, while I had her wait in the restaurant below, I went and bought some very fancy, expensive brand," Looker said and took a brown paper bag from his pocket. "I thought we could all have a taste, putting an end to this awful injustice."

"Mr. Looker!" Emma snapped. "That's not what she's saying."

Looker chuckled. "Emma, as a seasoned world traveler, I think I know-"

"Mimi, could you, please?" Emma asked the Espurr.

A sudden flash emanated from the Espurr's big, creepy eyes. Looker didn't notice anything unusual at first, then suddenly was able to hear the tourist's thoughts while she and Emma had a lengthy conversation in the tourist's language. Looker was shocked at how well Emma could speak it, and while she wasn't perfect, the tourists just seemed happy to be finally understood.

Apparently, a strange man had stolen her purse near the Lumiose Station. Normally, it wouldn't be too much of an issue, but it also contained her dear Pokémon. Looker also heard Emma's thoughts as the conversation got heated, Emma telling the tourist to-

"Emma!" Looker scolded. "Such language!"

"Sorry," Emma said standoffishly and crossed her arms. "But she was talking trash about you! Let her go to the police and tell them to handle this! We shouldn't waste our time helping her!"

"Apologies, Emma," Looker said quietly and took a deep breath, then suddenly yelled: "_**But I will not stand for that!**_"

"M... Mr. Looker?"

"Everyone will be helped, regardless of what she said about me," Looker said firmly. "Such is the nature of justice!"

"Yeah, but," Emma said, "if it happened near the Lumiose Station, that means the Lumiose Gang probably stole the Pokémon! You don't want to mess with them. We should probably drop this thing."

"Lumiose Gang, eh?" Looker said, rolled up his sleeves and cracked his knuckles. "Sounds like a couple of no-good punks who wish to be taught a lesson or two..."

Looker was about to dash out of the office when Emma glanced at Mimi, who used her powers to close the door. Looker turned to glare at Emma.

"Just listen to me for a sec, Mr. Looker!" Emma yelled, the tourist looking uncomfortable in the midst of the tension. "Shouldn't you at least take some Pokémon with you? Those people are really dangerous!"

Looker sighed and stared at the ground. "I don't have any," he said quietly. "Not too long ago, my one and only partner... well, put it this way. Imagine the bond you and Mimi have together. Now imagine it last since I was even younger than to you to just a few months ago. That was when I was on an important case. My partner did not make it."

Emma gasped and glanced at Mimi in horror. However, she quickly changed her appearance to a look of determination and glared right back at Looker.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said, "but that's exactly why you need to be more careful! What would your partner say if something terrible happened to you?"

Looker winced, but didn't make a move towards the door anymore. Sighing, he unrolled his sleeves and smiled at Emma.

"You're right," he said. "But justice needs to be served. Tell you what: I will not confront this 'gang' you speak of directly, but rather, I will observe them from the shadows, scoping out their preferred hangouts, movements and tactics. As long as I reach the destination, I don't mind going the long way."

"Great," Emma sighed. "I'll come with-"

"No!" Looker pressed. "That is one demand I will not go around. It is far too dangerous, and besides, didn't you get a message from your friends yesterday?"

"Y-yes," Emma stuttered. "But Mr. Looker-"

"Go see them," Looker said reassuringly. "Have a good day. We'll meet later tonight in the office, and then we will liberate this _madam's_ Pokémon together!"

Emma agreed and Mimi relinquished her control of the door. Looker dashed out, smiling confidently, happy to get his hands dirty and do some honest detective work at last.

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Estival Avenue, Lumiose City, Kalos**_

Serena, Shauna, Tierno and Trevor were enjoying a cup of coffee outside Café Gallant, though enjoying' might have been the wrong word, as only half of the group was having fun. Trevor looked as awkward as always while Serena had too much on her mind. When Serena had told Trevor what Lysandre had told her about Xerneas, though, Trevor seemed interested enough to listen to Serena for a minute or two.

"I'm still not any closer to finding it!" Serena yelled suddenly and slammed the table with her fist, causing Tierno to spill coffee all over his shirt. "Shut up, I'll buy you three new ones when I get more money!" she snapped as Tierno groaned about his favorite shirt being ruined.

"Where are you going to get money, Ser~?" Shauna asked. "You going to find a part-time job?"

Serena shuddered. "Shauna, please, don't even joke about that!" she said seriously.

"But I wasn't-"

"I _could_ ask monsieur Lewis Sanders for a donation, but the fact that he creeps even _me_ out is kinda unsettling," Serena pondered. "Plus there's the whole Team Flare thing."

"What Team Flare thing?" Tierno wondered.

Serena sighed. "Never mind," she said. "The routes outside this city should be teeming with trainers, though. I have a feeling I should leave today..."

"We leaving?" Shauna asked. "Aww, there was so much stuff to see, still. Oh, well, we can still come here later~"

"How many times do I have to say '_I_' to get it through your skull?! I'm not the only one after that Pokémon, and it could get really dangerous! You all would probably do better if you stayed in Lumiose. But I also need money to buy items I'll need on my trip... Tierno, you have a couple of thousand?"

"To lend to you?" Tierno asked.

"No, to give to me. As in now."

"Well, no, actually," Tierno said sheepishly. "See, I found these really awesome dance shoes the other day and I just couldn't leave them in the store... though I should have probably spared a little something for Pokémon food..."

"Yeah, my Snorlax eats like a... Snorlax," Shauna complained. "So I'm kind of broke. But I don't mind, it's so cute! You wanna see it do a trick?"

"Shauna, no!" Serena yelled and grabbed Shauna's wrist as Shauna was about to open Snorlax's Poké Ball. "It'll crush everyone here, but more importantly, it'll crush _me_!"

Suddenly, Trevor, looking at his Holo Caster and drinking his coffee in a sophisticated manner, nearly choked as he saw something, coffee spurting out of his nose. Tierno slapped him on the back a couple of times, eventually clearing Trevor's laughs and allowing him to mutter in disbelief:

"No... it couldn't be... this is preposterous!"

"What's that, Trevs?" Tierno asked and grabbed his Holo Caster without asking. "Oh, wow!"

"Do share with the rest of us," Serena said.

"Your PR video, Ser," Tierno said and showed the Holo Caster to Serena despite Trevor's quiet protests. "It has like a half a million views now! Too bad you're not getting any of that ad money."

Serena didn't have time to ponder on Tierno's words, as she spotted a familiar person approaching. Emma was running towards them and waving, Mimi hobbling behind and trying to keep up with her. Some snooty passerby glanced at Emma's tattered clothes with derision, but Serena greeted her uncharacteristically fondly. Tierno also had a huge grin on his face as he spotted Emma.

"Hi, everyone!" Emma greeted. "Sorry I'm late, I was at a friend's place! Guess what? Me and Mimi finally have a place to stay!"

"That's amazing, Emma!" Tierno said warmly. "Where?"

"I... Iris fixed a place for me," Emma said quickly. "Not a foster family or anythin', a little place of my own, free of any pesky adults!"

"Awesome!" Tierno said. "Can we visit at some point?"

"Uh, Serena, why'd you call me here for?" Emma asked.

"I actually need Mimi for something," Serena said bluntly.

Emma's cheerful smile faded a bit. "Oh... okay."

"But I'd also like to buy you some lunch!" Serena said quickly. "We already had some and I'm kind of short on cash, but it's okay, Trevor's buying."

"_What_?!" Trevor hissed, but Serena kicked him in the shin under the table. "Ow! Eugh, fine, whatever..."

"First, though..."

Serena let Lucario out of it Poké Ball. Emma whistled appreciatively as she saw it materialize, but this changed to concern when she noticed the burn marks all over Lucario's body and the way the Pokémon was barely standing up.

"Haven't you taken it to a Pokémon Center yet?" Emma asked as she stepped closer to Lucario warily, looking at its wounds. "Or given it medicine of some sorts?"

"Hey, I was waiting for you to come first, and I'm out of money!" Serena protested. "By the way, how do you like this blouse? Frickin' awesome, am I right? Yeah, don't answer, I'm right!"

"What do you want Mimi to do?"

"Well, before you judge me, _I _don't know what happened to it," Serena said. "If Mimi can probe into my _private_ memories and create invisible walls out of thin air, I'm pretty sure it can tell the rest of us what happened to Lucario by... reading its mind or something, I don't know these things. Trevor, you know this stuff. Am I right?"

"You speak of the most deepest secrets of the Pokémon world as if you know something, arrogant fool," Trevor grumbled. "Blabber all you want – you will never be above me."

"I wanted a 'yes' or a 'no'!"

"...maybe."

"Ah, good enough, I'm right," Serena said confidently. "So, Emma, have Mimi do its thing."

"Very well," Emma said uncertainly. "But you really should take it to be treated soon..."

"I'm not seeing anything happen!"

Emma sighed and told Mimi what to do. Serena watched Mimi hobble over to Lucario, who didn't resist as the Espurr stared at it with her big, creepy eyes. As if hypnotized, Lucario crouched and lowered its head, allowing Mimi to touch it.

Mimi closed her eyes, then slowly raised her other paw. A glowing ball of physic energy suddenly formed mid-air above her – this apparently wasn't nearly as interesting to the passerby as a girl with patched-up clothes, as no one seemed to care. The ball was initially just a fuzzy blur of images, but as Mimi concentrated, it started to show something – it was like watching TV.

The memory the group was seeing was from Lucario's point of view. It was making its way across the rooftops of Lumiose, trying to approach the Prism Tower, when a blast of blue fire out of nowhere suddenly struck it. It managed to shield its face, but got its paws badly burned and fell off the rooftop from the power of the impact. The image went hazy for a second, and as it cleared up again, Lucario lay on the ground at one of Lumiose's many shady alleys, a Chandelure hovering above it.

As Lucario turned its head, the group also caught a glimpse of the Chandelure's owner, the very sight of her making Serena cringe. It was a woman with pink hair wearing cool red-tinted sunglasses, smiling contently as she watched Lucario suffer. Chandelure then prepared for another flamethrower attack, but before the memory could continue, Mimi and Lucario both collapsed, the psychic energy disappearing. Serena quickly withdrew Lucario while Emma caught Mimi, who was in a slightly better shape but still dizzy.

"Who does she think she is?" Serena said shakily, clenching her hands as she stared at where the memory ball had been. "I am going to burn her, burn all her Pokémon, burn all her friends, reduce her house into nothing but a pile of ash-"

"Was that Malva just now?" Tierno wondered. "From the Holo Caster reports?"

"Oh yeah, she's working for Team Flare," Shauna said casually. "Kind of a bummer."

"Wait, who are Team Flare?" Emma asked as she picked Mimi up.

"Not explaining now, Tierno will tell you later," Serena snapped.

"Um, actually," Tierno said carefully, "I don't really know all that much either-"

"She knew it was my Lucario," Serena said quietly, a bloodthirsty look on her face. "She had been watching it since the Power Plant. She attacked my possessions – _Pokémon_, I mean – just like that. That's a declaration of war. Oh yes. I'll give her a war. She and the rest of Team Flare. They're _so_ burned. Every single person who even _considers_ being a part of Team Flare will feel the flames of my WRATH!"

"What a shame," Tierno sighed. "I've seen, like, dozens of her PR videos. They always cheer me up. It's hard to think of her as a criminal..."

Serena turned to look at him. "What?"

"Oh, yeah, she's a professional PR video maker along with her other duties. See, I mentioned ad money before... basically, some people are paid to make those videos, famous people, mostly, as they attract advertisers. There's been a few with Malva, some with professor Sycamore, a few with Mr. Bonding – he makes good song parodies, actually, check 'em out. I don't know what goes on in the background, though. Uh, Emma, you'll probably need this!"

Tierno gave Emma a Potion, which the girl gratefully accepted and sprayed Mimi with. Soon, Mimi looked a lot better, though Emma still looked concerned.

"Mimi, can you walk back home on your own?" she asked. "I'd like to stay for a while longer – I'll bring you food on the way back, okay?"

Mimi nodded and left, but instead of heading directly back home through the avenue, she slipped on a random side alley and disappeared from sight.

"Thank you very much, Emma," Serena said contemplatively. "You've earned your lunch – and a place by my side in the new world we're building."

"Um... cool? I think you should still take Lucario to a Pokémon Ce-"

"_Garcon_!" Serena yelled at a waiter. "Let's get some lunch up in here!"

While Emma ate, the others marveling at how much food went into someone so tiny, Serena hatched a plan. Once Emma was finished, Serena took her and the others to a building across the street: the Lumiose Press. There was someone there Serena wanted to talk to.

Inside the building, journalists were all busy, no one noticing Serena's group entering as they typed feverishly and rushed from one cubicle to another. The exception was the brown-haired woman calmly leaning against her desk and filing her nails while humming a cheery tune. The woman, Alexa, took her earpiece off and waved as she saw Serena's posse approaching.

"Oh, my, Serena, it's been _way _too long!" Alexa said. "I almost missed you from my massive pile of work. How have you been?"

"Good enough," Serena said. "Yeah, we haven't seen since I utterly _destroyed_ your sister and her stupid bugs back in Santalune. How is Viola, anyway? As crazy as ever?"

"You bet!" Alexa said cheerily. "We've heard a lot of good things about your travels. Congratulations on your fifth badge!"

"Yeah, yeah," Serena said quickly. "Listen, I've heard you're the person who knows everything there's to know about Lumiose, so answer me this: what do you know about making professional PR videos?"

"A bunch," Alexa said. "There's a studio right here in this building where they make them, and we often help make deals between performers and advertisers. Many of our esteemed celebrity performers want to avoid the hassle and publicity that comes from using the studio on South Boulevard."

"As I thought," Serena mused. "And, do tell, what are you looking from these 'celebrity performers'? I mean," Serena paused to flip her hair gracefully, "could there perhaps be an opening for a beautiful, extremely powerful, respected and feared up-and-coming trainer and soon-to-be Queen of All Creation, Serena?"

"Nope," Alexa said cheerfully.

Serena narrowed her eyes at Alexa. "I'll burn down this building," she threatened.

"Well, that still wouldn't get you that video deal," Alexa countered.

"...damn it!"

"Serena, what's this about?" Shauna wondered.

Serena ignored Alexa for a while and turned to face her group of loyal minions.

"That rotten Malva has declared war on me, and by extension, all of us – because I say so," she announced. "Since I have no idea where she is, we are going to beat her in her own game. Alexa, you've seen my video, right? How many hits does it have, _exactly_?"

"502 437," Alexa said precisely.

"And how many does Malva's most popular video have?"

"7 856 213."

Serena scoffed. "Not even a problem for me," she said. "Our video making troupe is back in business: we are going to make a new PR video, with twice the budget as before!"

"But two times zero is still zero," Trevor pointed out snidely.

"Hush, Trevor! Our new PR video will not only put Malva in so much shame that she can never face her audience again, but will put me squarely in people's minds as their future ruler and the savior of this sorry excuse for a world!"

"Is it just me or is she a little scary?" Emma whispered a Tierno.

"Emma," Tierno muttered seriously, "I mean this from the bottom of my heart when I say: it's not just you. But, you know, you get used to it."

"But Serena," Shauna said before Serena could ask what Tierno and Emma were talking about, "Calem's not here."

"Oh, my, what a tragedy," Serena deadpanned, walked over to Emma and put her hand on her shoulder. "Lucky for us, we have a new Calem right here! And, Emma, do you want to know why you're even better than the old Calem?"

"Why's that?" Emma asked warily.

"Because you're not him!"

Trevor laughed cruelly, but Shauna looked a bit uncertain.

"We'll fit his name somewhere in the credits," Serena promised her. "Seriously, I thought I told you to stop worrying about him! Remember how he was a jerk and stuff?"

"I remember," Shauna said sadly. "But he's still been a friend of mine since I was five..."

Serena rolled her eyes and turned back to Alexa.

"Listen, I don't care what it takes, we're making a video and someone is going to pay us for it!" she told her. "Figure something out!

"Weee-eell, there is one thing," Alexa said slowly and tapped her lower lip contemplatively. "We could be the ones to pay you. We could use some visibility in the intertubes."

"Great!" Serena said, then glared at Alexa suspiciously. "Wait, what's the catch?"

"We get 90 percent of the ad revenue."

"That's evil... but I can respect that! All right, it's a deal. Firefox Productions is back in business!"

**~o~O~o~**

**"Firefox Productions Present,**

**a Serena film**

**Meticulously Written by Serena**

**Beautifully Directed and Filmed (mostly) by Serena**

**Painstakingly Produced by the Purging Might of All-Consuming Fire**

**SERENA 2.0: YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE – DAY OF THE RECKONING (DIRECTOR'S CUT)**

**© Serena and no one else 2XXX All rights are hers, you can't have them, GTFO"**

You see before you a dark landscape, ravaged by the greed, selfishness and unfabulousity of the regimes of times passed. The greatest city in all of civilization, Lumiose, is but a wreckage of crushed dreams, a deserted town taken over by scum and villainy. A lone girl, Emma, carrying her Espurr (played by a flour bag painted purple and big googly eyes attached to it), her only friend, is making her way through, hoping to reach her destination, but hope is on short supply.

Her journey is cut off when someone stands in her way. An evil person wearing a white suit, a creepy fedora and a thick fake mustache, holding a diamond-tipped cane that Serena found from the studio's prop department. The evil person, played by Shauna, did a surprisingly good evil laughter.

"What do we have here?!" Shauna asked hammily and leaned on her cane. "What business do you two have here? This is _my_ town, y'hear? I own all of this! And under my rule, clothes stores and cute cafés will be demolished, and there will be no more Lumiose Galettes for anyone! The filthy poor people will be put in a neat little district where everyone is forced to wear drab gray uniforms and where they sell chili in summertime and Casteliacones during winter! Fufufufu!"

"Dear, sir... I think," Emma pleaded. "I merely wish to pass by. I am but a humble traveler on my way to become a Pokémon trainer! It's been my lifelong dream, ever since I was a three days old and accidentally swallowed my mom's PokéDex!"

"Pokémon trainer?!" Shauna mocked and laughed again, holding her hand vertically below her mouth. "O~hohoho! You?! Keep dreaming, kid! You are but street trash, fit only to support the lowest part of the pyramid, the top of which are us, the ruling class! Ho-ho-ho-ho!"

"This could be dangerous, Mimi," Emma told the flour bag. "You better run!"

Emma dropped the flour bag, which remained motionless on the prop ground. Glancing at the camera awkwardly, Emma kicked the bag until it was finally out of frame.

"That's it, Mimi!" Emma yelled. "Save yourself! Become the Pokémon you were meant to be! Believe in the me who believes in the you who believes in the you who believes in the... hold on a sec..."

"Enough talk!" Shauna declared boisterously. "I am going to make you disappear now! Boys!"

Tierno dragged Emma's 'henchmen', basically cardboard cut-outs of famous bodybuilders, next to Emma, who did her best scream of terror even if the cut-outs didn't do anything.

"If only the Champion were here," Emma wailed. "Champion Diantha, please save me!"

The camera turned to Trevor, dressed in his best Diantha cosplay, talking to a cell phone nearby and ignoring Emma's pleas.

"Sorry, hun," he said without bothering to change his voice, "I'd love to help, but I'm in the middle of filming my latest movie, '_How I Learned __To __Not Care About Any Of You And Love Just My Acting Career_'. Like, I didn't become a Champion to _help_ people! What are you thinking? Silly street trash!"

"Somebody," Emma cried and collapsed on the ground, "anybody... help..."

Shauna smirked evilly. "Farewell!"

"Stop right there, criminal scum!" yelled a voice in the distance.

Emma looked up at the prop sky, her eyes filled with tears of joy. The last ray of light in the darkness that was Kalos, long, dark hair flowing in the wind, her stylish appearance blinding her foes – Serena, riding her Charizard, the Pokémon beloved by all except those who are wrong.

"Curses, it's Serena!" Shauna announced. "The one who always defeats me and foils my evil plans!"

"That's right, you vile creature whose name I didn't remember to write down!" Serena announced. "I despise you and all that you represent! In the name of Mars, I shall chastise you! Charizard, use Flamethrower, but..."

Serena leaned closer to Charizard and whispered into her ear:

"...go easy, we're just acting and this stage is full of wood and cardboard, you know."

Charizard nodded and blasted at Shauna and her cardboard henchmen with fire. The cardboard cut-outs burned quickly, while Shauna only lost her fake mustache. She gasped in horror, having wanted to wear it in the future, but quickly got back into character.

"Damn you, Serena!" she yelled and shook her fist at her. "I shall retuuuuuuurn!"

Tierno rushed on the stage and dropped a smoke bomb, then quickly left while Shauna left the stage, laughing maniacally. Serena and Charizard landed next to Emma, Serena jabbing Charizard with her elbow to make it crouch as she couldn't fit into frame. Serena then helped Emma stand up while smiling at her.

"Have no fear, child," she said, "for I, soon-to-be immortal ruler of you all, am here. A new era of happiness will begin here."

"Oh, Serena, you are so amazing," Emma said, internally gagging at the dialogue she had to perform. "Could I one day become a quarter as strong as you are?"

"Child, I sense great strength in you," Serena said, to which Emma turned away from the camera and rolled her eyes, "one day, you can become at least _one tenth_ as strong as me!"

"...wha-"

"And I promise you this," Serena interrupted loudly, "you, and everyone who is tired of the way things go around here, are free to join my ever-growing army! Together, we shall overthrow all who oppose our utopia!"

"Wow, Serena," Emma sighed. "Could I become Champion one day, too?"

"Let's not go nuts, that post is for me," Serena muttered and squeezed Emma's shoulder painfully. "Also, no improvising!"

The scene changed to another corner of this desolate, fake Lumiose, where an excited Tierno wearing a hoodie with Malva's picture on it, was standing in a 'group' of people – the people played by more cardboard cut-outs, including the ones burned by Charizard before.

"My idol, Malva is coming!" Tierno announced to the camera. "I love her videos! They cheer me up whenever I'm feeling blue! Oh, here she is!"

Shauna, dressed as Malva, walked past the 'crowd' with her nose in the air and a stuck-up expression on her face.

"Ms. Malva, you're my hero!" Tierno yelled at her. "It would be the greatest moment of my life if you'd give me an autograph!"

"Dream on, ruffian!" Shauna said, doing her best Malva impression. "I'm off to go steal galettes from children's mouths and throw rocks at Fletchling, 'cause that's how I roll!"

A disappointed Tierno took off his hoodie, revealing he was wearing a T-shirt with Serena's picture on it underneath. He struggled to rip the hoodie apart for a few seconds, but when he couldn't, Tierno glanced at the camera awkwardly and then just tossed it away.

"My dreams have been shattered!" Tierno wailed and got on his knees. "I can't think for myself! If _only_ there was a person worth devoting my life to!"

He then dramatically turned to look at the picture on his T-shirt and snapped his fingers.

"Ah! Of course!" Tierno overacted. "Serena! The up-and-coming trainer I heard so much about and who also uses fire-types, but does it so much better than that Malva, whose name I hardly even remember anymore!"

Through the magic of editing, Serena and her Delphox suddenly appeared next to Tierno. Serena put her hand on Tierno's shoulder and helped him stand.

"Serena!" Tierno gasped. "Life is worth living again!"

"That's right, my friend," Serena told him reassuringly. "If you devote yourself to me, things will be better for all, I promise. Here."

Serena gave Tierno a photo of her. As the camera zoomed in, it turned out to be a picture of her sitting on a throne of skulls with a blazing fire behind her, smirking maliciously... while petting her adorable Sylveon.

"Thank you, beautiful trainer," Tierno said. "And her almost as beautiful Delphox! Can you sign it for me, too?"

Serena laughed. "Of course not, you little fool," she said kindly. "Now run along and go worship your new master."

"Yes, ma'am!" Tierno said and ran off.

Delphox picked the hoodie with Malva's picture on it and used her wand to set it on fire. The camera zoomed in on the hoodie slowly burning.

Then, the scene cut to Serena, with Delphox, Charizard, Talonflame, Combusken and Sylveon on the background.

"Remember," she said to the camera with a wink, "I will be the immortal leader of you all soon, but I can't do without help! Your support and loyalty when the time is right is crucial to my master plan! So remember the name: Serena~ !"

Serena smiled for the camera for a while, but it soon turned to a nasty glare when she noticed something.

"Trevor!" she yelled at the camera operator. "You're using the wrong lense, you stupid piece of-"

"**_Fin._**

**_Resemblances to real people or events are entirely coincidental, so you can't sue me, suckers! Serena rules you all! Join or burn! Fwahahahaaa!_"**

**~o~O~o~**

As Serena wrapped up the shoot and she and the group finished editing, Serena prepared to bring the video to Alexa. However, someone else was also in the studio, watching from the sidelines and clapping sarcastically – Malva. Serena's blood boiled at the sight of her.

"I didn't realize first-year film school people were doing a project here," Malva told Serena, who was marching towards her. "Nice to meet you again, little firecracker. Celypa, was it?"

"Serena."

"Oh, of course," Malva laughed – Serena swore that she was just pretending to have forgotten it. "I hope your video is a success, my friend."

"That's all you have to say to me?" Serena said quietly as she glared at Malva, who just smiled smugly with her arms crossed. "You attacked my Lucario. I am going to pay back for every bruise, scratch and burn on Lucario's body, and then some, you-"

"Before you do that," Malva said calmly and gestured up at the ceiling, "you might want to reconsider that. This place is full of surveillance cameras, and I'm a respected celebrity while you're just a barely known trainer with a, shall we say, _inflamed_ reputation."

Serena glanced at the ceiling briefly. "I don't see any cameras."

"That would defeat their purpose, wouldn't it?"

"You're bluffing!"

"Can you count on it?" Malva asked.

Serena didn't want to get fooled by the same trick twice, but the way Malva looked at her with complete confidence made her hesitate, so she just clenched her teeth and did nothing, which prompted Malva to laugh.

"As I thought," she chuckled. "Now, as a respected idol, I wouldn't dream of hurting another's Pokémon so brutally like that. But hypothetically, were I an admin high in the ranks of Team Flare-"

Serena pointed at Malva. "You just confessed it!"

"Confessed what, my dear?" Malva teased. "I don't remember saying anything. Besides, these surveillance cameras don't record sound. It's my word against yours, firecracker. Just accept it."

Serena ground her teeth together, wanting so badly to burn this person with her own hands.

"_Hypothetically speaking_," Malva said, "dear Ms. Aliana would have probably ordered me to keep your poor Lucario out of the way while Ms. Bryony and Ms. Celosia did their magic on your friend, um... Julie was it? Or was it Camille..."

"I knew it!" Serena snapped. "But you failed! That thing is never going to hurt anyone again?"

"Are you sure?" Malva asked playfully, smiling when Serena got even more frustrated. "Now, I have a message from the good folks at – well, you know who I mean. It would be wise for you to stop prying into our affairs and getting in our way. And it would especially do you good to stop looking for the fabled Pokémon... what was it called again? The life Pokémon? Pokémon X?"

Serena scoffed. "Or what?" she asked and crossed her arms just like Malva. "In case you haven't figured it out, I'm not afraid of you freaks!"

Malva nodded at the stage behind Serena, who turned to look. Shauna, Tierno and Emma were happily chatting while putting the sets and props back into the storage rooms while Trevor was sitting in front of the computer, putting his finishing touches on the film, adding some subliminal messages about how people should support _him_ – along with some lens flares.

Serena turned to stare at Malva in shock. "You _wouldn't_!"

"Let's see," Malva said as she stared at Serena's companions. "Your friends, right?"

"My minions!" Serena protested.

Malva just smiled. "Shauna, Tierno and Trevor, right?" she asked. "From Vaniville Town? Well, Trevor also has a sister who lives right here in the city? And the fourth one is the orphan living on the alleys of Lumiose, huh? Often seen with an Espurr? She shouldn't be too hard to get to..."

"Okay!" Serena hissed.

She had a hard time believing it, but the freaks in orange suits with their silly poses and easily defeated Pokémon... had actually one-upped her. Even if her PR video overshadowed Malva's, it seemed like a hollow victory. Serena turned to look at the smiling faces of Shauna, Tierno and Emma, ignorant of what was going to happen to them...

"Do what you want, then!" Serena told Malva. "I didn't care in the first place until you idiots got in my way. I'll just keep getting badges and becoming stronger, like I wanted to..."

"Yes, please do," Malva said and leaned over to pinch Serena's cheek obnoxiously. "I'm really looking forward to see how far you'll go. Maybe we'll even battle some day. Ciao!"

As Malva left, Emma walked over to Serena curiously.

"Were you just talkin' to someone?" she asked, apparently having just missed Malva.

"Uh, just one of the people working here," Serena lied. "What's up?"

Emma suddenly went awkward, as if she wanted to say something but was afraid of Serena's reaction.

"Um..."

"Just tell me, Emma!"

"I had a really fun time!" Emma said sincerely. "Acting was fun – and tell Shauna that she ain't such an annoying ditz after all. She was _really_ into her performance! And thanks for the lunch, too. It's just... a friend of mine has, uh, been associating with the Lumiose Gang lately. He might be in trouble, and I want to make sure-"

"You can go," Serena assured her. "Though I won't be staying in Lumiose much longer. I'm leaving tonight. But, uh, Tierno and Trevor will most likely stay, so you can still meet up with them."

"That's a shame," Emma said. "When will you be back?"

"...I'm not sure. Not for a while, though. I still need three more badges. But once I'm at the top, I'm counting on your support! And Mimi's too!"

Emma laughed and sprinted away. "You bet!" she yelled. "Bye!"

Once everything was done, Serena took the finished video to Alexa, who gave the group their reward: a whopping five thousand. Serena, Shauna, Tierno and Trevor then gathered outside the Lumiose Press to split it up evenly.

"And by evenly," Serena said, "I mean half for me, half for the rest of you. Uh, Tierno, can I trust on you making sure Emma gets her share?"

"Sure thing!" Tierno said cheerfully while Trevor said something quiet in protest, only to be ignored. "Wow, you're really getting along well with her! I would have never guessed! I mean, uh, well I just assumed... I'm not saying you're anti-social or scary or anything..."

"I get it," Serena deadpanned. "Run along now."

As Tierno left, Serena turned to look at Trevor, who looked as awkward and surprised as always when people were directly addressing him.

"What about you?" Serena asked him. "What will you do?"

Trevor stared at the ground awkwardly. "I will retreat to my sister's place to continue my studies to become the world's leading Pokémon scholar and make more money than all of you puny beings, including that flirtatious fool, who isn't worthy of the title of Hunky McGorgeous. It will be much better without your filthy germs getting all over the door handles and toilet seats-"

"Yeah, I didn't ask for your life story, just keep yourself safe and contact me if you learn anything new," Serena said, and Trevor left. "Well, Shauna, it looks like it's you and me again."

"Great~!" Shauna said excitedly. "And if you want to leave Lumiose to go see some other place, I'm okay with that! Where do you plan to go next?"

"Laverre City, to the north," Serena said. "That's where the next gym is?"

Shauna tilted her head in confusion. "Gym?" she wondered. "I know you want to get stronger, but I thought you'd want to find that legendary Pokémon..."

"Shauna," Serena said seriously. "That thing is going to have to wait for a while. I would like you to forget everything related to-"

"All done!"

Serena frowned. "Wow, uh, that was fast."

"Yeah~! I don't worry about these things too much."

"Well, good. Laverre City awaits!"

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Route 14, Kalos**_

Of course, before leaving Lumiose, Serena took advantage of the last chance to visit Coiffure Clips. She went with a side-swept look on the front and styled the hair on the back on a long ponytail, which looked quite like a differently-colored version of Korrina's, only it didn't defy gravity like hers did. Shauna also experimented with about ten different styles, frustrating the stylist, until she went with a look that looked almost exactly like her old one. They also finally visited the Pokémon Center to cure Lucario once Shauna reminded Serena of it.

After that, Serena and Shauna were making their way through the boggy swamps of Laverre Nature Trail, hoping to get to Laverre City before midnight, as it looked like it was about to rain and the terrain wasn't to Serena's liking. She was already cursing about her shoes being ruined after stepping on a puddle for the seventh time. As they walked past a creepy, abandoned playground, Shauna clung closer to Serena.

"Come on, Shauna," Serena admonished her. "There's nothing to be scared of."

"But places like this creep me out," Shauna complained, then suddenly stopped and practically shrieked into Serena's ear: "_Serena_! _Look_! A g-g-ghost-"

"Ghost-type Pokémon?" Serena asked hopefully. "Maybe a Lampent or a Heat Rotom?"

"N-no, a ghost-type person! Look!"

Serena looked at where Shauna was pointing. A boy with dark sunglasses and a blue jacket stood in the sandbox for some reason, looking dramatically in the other direction as his dark hair and long, red scarf waved dramatically in the wind. He was tossing a Poké Ball carelessly from one hand to another in a way that reminded Serena of something.

"I think that's a plain old trainer, Shauna," Serena said and took out a Poké Ball of her own. "And if we get him to make eye contact with us, we can squeeze him out of all the money he's got. Better get the Amulet Coin ready..."

As Serena started digging through her bag, stuffed full of things she'd need on her journey, the boy turned to look at Serena and Shauna, jumped out of the sandbox and took his sunglasses off dramatically. Shauna let out an excited squeal when she saw who the boy was, prompting Serena to look too.

"Calem!" Shauna yelled and ran to meet him. "Calem! Calem! Calem!"

"Yes, we've established that," Serena sighed quietly.

"Calem, how you've been?!" Shauna asked him excitedly. "What have you been doing since the Power Plant? Have you traveled too? Oh, did you hear Serena has five badges now? Ooh, ooh, and we met this really cool girl called Emma and her Espurr in Lumiose and I bought like _soooo_ much stuff and do you like my new hair and do you want to see my Snorlax do a-"

"Shauna, please," Calem said calmly. "I'm doing good, and I'm glad to see you guys are still traveling together. Hi, Serena."

"Sup," Serena greeted lazily. "Hate to break it to you, by the way, but that pose you did there wasn't as cool as you think it was."

Calem didn't seem to register the insult. "Congratulations on your victory, neighbor. Oh, and Shauna, to answer your question, I have been in many places. I now have four badges, thanks to a little backtracking, including a trip back to Shalour City. Serena, would you like to see something cool?"

"Sure, but I'd need you to leave my sight first."

Calem just smiled, still not either getting or reacting to Serena's snark. He walked a little closer to Serena and pulled back his sleeve, showing that he was wearing a black bracelet with a colorful little jewel attached to it. Serena cringed at the sight of it, remembering Sycamore's words back at the Lysandre Café.

"No way," Serena said. "_You_? They gave _you_ a Mega Ring? Out of all the damn people..."

"It turns out Gurkinn did have a spare – his own," Calem said dramatically. "It was a grueling battle against Korrina, but I was able to best her."

"How many tries did it take, like three?" Serena taunted.

"No, four, actually – I mean!" Calem calmed himself when he remembered he was trying to be cool and aloof. "It matters not. You defeated me before, but now that we both have Mega Rings, we're on equal footing again. So how about it, neighbor? Want to treat me to a Pokémon battle?"

"All right!" Shauna cheered. "I can be a referee! Will you do it, Serena? Please? _Pleaaaaaaaaaa_-"

"Shauna!" Serena snapped. "And yes, I will. For your sake. And this chump probably won't leave me alone if I don't. Okay, hotshot, you decide the rules."

"It would be my pleasure," Calem said and bowed, accidentally dropping his sunglasses and breaking them. "Aww, man! Ahem, I mean... let's try a three-Pokémon-knockout-match! Basically, we use three different Pokémon and don't switch out until one has been defeated. Best out of three wins."

"So I only have to beat two of yours to win," Serena said and nodded. "All right, good idea. I won't have to stand the sight of you much longer, then."

Calem laughed. "You sure like teasing me, Serena – and I like it when you do it. It makes me feel like I'm close to you-"

"Battle, please," Serena threatened.

"Right!" Calem squeaked and flipped his scarf back to get it out of the way. "For my first Pokémon, I'll choose... Clefable!"

Calem surprised Serena with his first choice: a cutesy, pink, vaguely star-shaped Pokémon with big ears. Serena was almost certain that he wasn't going to send out something with lots of teeth, claws and/or cannons, thinking only superficially strong ones were good enough. But then Serena figured out what Calem was trying to do and sent out her Talonflame.

"They say that the key to victory is the element of surprise. So... start off without strongest attack, Clefable!" Calem instructed. "In the name of the moon, I shall punish you! Moonblast!"

"Hey, that's my thing!" Serena complained. "Talonflame, dodge it!"

Talonflame was fortunately faster, but the attack still grazed it.

"Surprise!" Calem yelled and laughed while Serena just looked on condescendingly. "Caught you off-guard, didn't I? You see, even if you knew what a Clefable was, you were unaware of its secret asset, the fact that-"

"It's a fairy-type," Serena interrupted, making Calem look disappointed. "I _did_ do a lot of research on fairies before I got here, because I wanted an edge against those arrogant dragon tamers that Unova is full of."

"I thought Clefable was a normal-type," Shauna commented.

"Get with the program, Shauna!" Serena snapped while maintaining eye contact with Calem. "Talonflame, Acrobatics!"

Clefable prepared itself as Talonflame confused a gem that it was holding. However, as it attacked, Talonflame's speed was far too great for Clefable to block. It seemed Talonflame disappeared and reappeared as it struck Clefable multiple times, easily knocking Clefable out. Calem looked stunned as he withdrew Clefable, while Serena scratched Talonflame below the chin before withdrawing it.

"_How_?!" Calem whined.

"Yeah, that's a new strategy I learned," Serena explained. "Your Pokémon always use held items, don't they? Well, without a hold item bothering it, Talonflame became much lighter and got more power out of Acrobatics. Coupled with the boost I got from the Flying Gem, your Clefable should have just raised the white flag right away.

Calem grimaced, but didn't press the issue further, instead sending out his next Pokémon: a Flareon.

"Are you trying to make me care for you even less?!" Serena yelled at Calem, who flinched, having expected Serena to like it. "First of all, _I'm_ the fire expert here! Second... _I_ wanted a Flareon!"

"How was I supposed to know?" Calem wondered.

"Serena, calm down," Shauna advised.

But Serena ignored her and tossed her next Poké Ball in the air much more roughly than usual, sending out her Combusken.

"Start off with Double Kick!" Serena shouted.

"Dodge!" Calem yelled.

Much as Combusken tried, Flareon moved expertly out of the way. Flareon then attacked Combusken with a Swift attack, barraging it with a beam of glowing, jagged stars.

"You're not the only one here who can turn speed into an advantage!" Calem taunted.

"You seriously need to pay attention," Serena countered.

Calem licked his lips and didn't respond; Serena hadn't ever seen him concentrate on a battle so hard. Usually he just assumed he'd win – and then end up getting thrashed. Calem ordered Flareon to use Take Down, but Serena ordered Combusken to block by using Protect. After doing so, Calem noticed Combusken's feet, having gotten brighter and brighter as the battle progressed, were practically glowing now.

"What's this about?" Calem wondered.

"Speed Boost," Serena said. "I gotta thank Iris again for this. Combusken, Brick Break!"

Flareon was too slow to dodge Combusken's next move and was hit hard as Combusken chopped it with its hand.

"Dig!" Calem ordered.

Flareon disappeared under the ground – and for once, Serena had to admit Calem had made the right move. The terrain was so uneven and swampy that Serena couldn't tell where Flareon was, and before Serena knew it, Flareon re-emerged and pounced at Combusken, knocking it out. Still, as Serena withdrew Combusken, Flareon looked exhausted, too, the wet ground having drained it of its energy.

"Yes!" Calem cheered as he recalled Flareon without bothering to congratulate it. "I finally did it! I knocked out one of your Pokémon!"

"Stop the presses," Serena deadpanned. "I gotta say, you Flareon hits pretty hard."

"We've been working the bags," Calem said proudly. "That's how we were able to beat Korrina and Ramos: three hours of hitting the bags and three more hours of Super Training every day since I lost to you at the Tower of Mastery!"

Serena just smiled – that pretty much confirmed her suspicions. But even so, she had to be careful. The next battle would decide the outcome of the entire match, and Serena was going to even risk being humiliated by that jabbering idiot – Calem still hadn't used his Mega Ring yet.

Both Serena and Calem waited for the other to move first, but Calem's patience ran out and he sent out something Serena had expected to see since the gang had visited Sycamore's lab: Venusaur. Without even waiting for Serena to send out her own Pokémon, Calem raised his hand dramatically and touched the key stone on his Mega Ring.

In a dazzling display of colors and shapes, Venusaur Mega Evolved. Mega Venusaur didn't look too different from the regular one, especially when compared to Charizard, having grown bigger and sturdier, with an extra pink flower on its head. Smirking, Serena responded by sending out... Sylveon.

Calem looked mildly surprised. "Wow, I thought you were all about fire," he commented.

"You think you know me so well," Serena countered. "I'm not stupid enough to let an opportunity to use my second-favorite type slip by."

"Also, it was supposed to be a Flareon," Shauna commented, much to Serena's dismay.

"I see," Calem laughed. "Well, excuse me for saying this, but my nature as a gentleman demands it: Sylveon has the type disadvantage, you know."

Serena just smiled. "Get started," she said simply. "I'm letting you make the first move."

Calem wasted no time. "Let's weaken it first," he yelled. "Venusaur, Razor Leaf!"

"Sylveon, Reflect!" Serena ordered.

As Sylveon put a protective barrier around him, the razor leaves Mega Venusaur shot at him just bounced off harmlessly. Calem clenched his teeth, but recovered quickly.

"Okay, then, if you want to end this battle right here and right now... Venusaur, Sludge Bomb!"

"Light Screen!"

Sylveon put up another invisible barrier around him, and as the Sludge Bomb hit, only some of the poison got through, most of it splashing harmlessly around Sylveon, who hadn't even been poisoned. Calem cringed.

"Is that all?" Serena asked coolly. "Alright, then. Sylveon – Psyshock!"

Calem's eyes widened. "Huh?"

Sylveon's eyes flashed as three orbs of energy, light blue, dark blue and purple in color, appeared above him. He then launched the orbs at Venusaur, who was too big and bulky to dodge and was instantly knocked out by the attack. In a flash of light, Mega Venusaur's form returned to that of a normal Venusaur.

Face blank, Calem slowly raised his hand to withdraw his Pokémon while Shauna cheered for Serena's victory while Serena praised Sylveon for his good work before returning him. When Calem just stood still and muttered quietly to himself, as if unable to understand what was going on, Serena finally confronted him.

"When you said you trained your Pokémon these past few days," Serena said coldly, "you meant you were only focusing on offensive power, right? I noticed that with the Flareon – you didn't invest much effort in defense. A few more seconds and Flareon would have been knocked out as well. Also, did you even listen when I told you how I studied fairies? Of course I'd make sure they're ready against poison-types! You still haven't learned a thing, haven't you?"

Calem stood still, shoulders hunched as he stared at the ground in shame. Serena walked right past him, glancing at Shauna.

"We need to get to Laverre," Serena told Shauna. "Are you coming or what?"

Shauna hurried to Serena, but stopped to look at Calem, who looked like he was on the verge of tears and hid his face from Shauna. Serena clucked her tongue impatiently.

"Um," Shauna started, "it was nice to know that you're still okay, Calem... bye!"

"Serena!" Calem yelled suddenly and turned to look at Serena determinedly. "The next time we meet, I _will_ defeat you! And I know a perfect way for us to test our skills."

"Don't say 'push-up contest' or something, because we both know you'll just lose that," Serena jabbed.

"The Pokémon we got from Sycamore, the ones Trevor and Tierno brought us!" Calem shouted and pointed at Serena dramatically. "My Greninja against your Braixen-"

"It's a Delphox now," Serena said.

"Even better! Our starters, the ones we've had for the same amount of time. If you truly think you're better than me-"

"I know I am."

"-then you'll battle me one-on-one! You starter against mine! Um, I mean, if that's okay with you...?"

Serena stared at Calem for a while, as if evaluating him. Calem did not turn away.

"All right," she said finally. "Seems like a nice challenge. The next time we'll meet, it's on. I suggest you stop slacking with your training and get serious before that. Now, is that all you have to say or can we go?"

"One more thing," Calem said and used his scarf to cover most of his face awkwardly, pretending it was cold. "I... I'm sorry I deceived you all. Especially you, Shauna. I didn't know what kind of man Looker really was, I just assumed he stood for justice. Serena, I didn't want to ruin your dreams or anything like that. I wanted to save you from yourself, before you got hurt doing something crazy. But... it looks like I don't have to worry about that..."

"Oh, so you assumed that I couldn't take care of myself?" Serena countered mercilessly. "No, wait, worse than that. You assumed you know what's best for me better than I do?"

"N-no!" Calem protested. "Or... maybe I did. Either way, I know what I did was wrong. And I will not work for that guy again! Or anyone else who is against you! I just... want to become stronger. Can you forg-"

"Idiot!"

Serena was surprised when it wasn't her that yelled that. It was Shauna, whose tone had definitely scared Calem, too. There wasn't a sight of her usual cheer to be seen – Shauna was breathing heavily and it looked like she was restraining herself from jumping at Calem and beating him into a pulp.

"Shauna?" Serena wondered. "Are you okay?"

"You idiot!" Shauna raged at Calem, who was positively quivering now. "You've been acting like this as soon as Serena got here! You couldn't handle not being the strongest anymore, was that it? Is that all you care about?! You lied to us and acted like that this whole trip, and _that's_ all you have to say?! _I hate you_!"

And once she was done, Shauna turned around and stomped off, not even bothering to look behind her. The look on Calem's face was like Shauna had hit her in the face with a giant mallet – though that might have actually hurt less. Serena just shrugged.

"Well, that was a thing," she commented. "For what it's worth, Calem... I don't really care that you did that anymore. I have bigger things on my mind. I'd advise you head to Lumiose next, though I wouldn't bother trying to talk to Tierno and Trevor – they're still not very fond of you. And, as a fair warning, if you see Team Flare doing something, just leave them be. Not that I care about your safety, but... you need to consider the fact that someone else might get hurt, too."

This made Calem even more nervous and upset. "Uh... s-sure," he stuttered and looked after Shauna, who was still walking away from him. "Um, she... what did... I mean, can you... to her..."

"Talk to her for you?" Serena asked and scoffed. "Nah, I won't. You'll have to figure out what to say yourself. I'm off – oh, but one last thing."

"Huh?"

Serena walked over to Calem and opened her palm. "I beat you in a battle, right? So, pay up!"

Once Calem left, Serena had 3700 more reasons to forget what he did. But forgetting wasn't the same as forgiving, which he would soon have to learn. Serena then ran after Shauna, wandering if she had reached Laverre already.

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Lumiose Station, Lumiose City, Kalos**_

Looker had attempted to stay in the shadows, but his sense of justice and need to show off had gotten the better of him. At the moment, he was surrounded by Lumiose Gang members on all sides, the gang having gathered near some unused train carriages. The one in charge, Punk Guy Nix, was laughing derisively at Looker, who had explained his reason for being there.

"You'd hafter be off yer trolley to come alone an' pick a fight us, mate!" Nix told him in a thick, inexplicable accent.

"If you return the Pokémon, none shall be harmed," Looker fronted. "Failure to do so will mean having to deal with the most hard-boiled, ruthless and relentless detective to ever grace this city – Looker!"

"Yer jokin', right old man?!" a Punk Girl laughed. "If we just give 'em back wit' a pretty please and thank-you, sir, why'd we bother stealin' sumfink?!"

"...would you be interested in perhaps illuminating me as to what you're attempting to say, miss?" Looker asked.

"What's this ol' bugger yammerin' on about, eh?" another gang member asked.

"Look, mate," Nix told Looker and put out his cigarette on his tongue coolly – only to almost get tears in his eyes from this desperate attempt to look cool. "Um, anyway, ever since Emma went to live at yours, she ain't never come round to hang wit' us! Why'd we nab these lame Pokémon, didy'ask yerself? We wanted to wheel you into our cheery ol' manor, we did, you blighter! So get yer Pokémon out for a battle! If yer win, yer take the Pokémon! But... if yer lose, yer got nothin' more to do with our Emma!"

Looker sighed and dusted his coat.

"I cannot accept your challenge," he said.

"Oo-er, yer too scared to fight, eh?" the Punk Girl taunted. "Or ar yer givin' it that yer don't have even a single Pokémon to stand by yer?"

Looker scowled and didn't bother to respond – and he didn't understand half of what was being said, anyway.

Nix, though, didn't look too happy about that. "You gotta be bloody kiddin' me! I cannae kick your arse to the curb if yer don't have any Pokés! That just ain't right! Look, go find some tall grass or somethin'."

"Enuff with that, Nix, I wanna scuffle with this ponce already!" a random gang member yelled. "For Emma, anything! For yer, a knuckle sandwich! Go, Bouffalant!"

But the enormous Bouffalant who tried to attack Looker with its horns was suddenly pulled into the air without Looker having to do anything. Everyone just stared in confusion as the Bouffalant rose high before it crashed down and was easily knocked out.

"Yer wut?!" Nix yelled and looked around him.

Looker did the same, wondering who his savior was. Bouffalant had definitely been surrounded by a pale blue glow before it was lifted, which meant a psychic-type Pokémon had interfered with...

"Emma!" Looker yelled.

Everyone turned to stare as Emma and Mimi waved cheerfully from the roof of the carriage. Using her powers, Mimi made both her and Emma float off the carriage and land safely on the ground, Emma glaring at Nix and the other gang members.

"You better stop this," she said firmly. "And return those stolen Pokémon!"

"Well if that don't take the biscuit!" Nix groaned and crossed his arms.

"There are sweets here?" Looker wondered.

"This all down to you, Emma!" Nix complained. "Yer just couldn't be bothered with us no more! What's the point of us if yer don't show up?! Yer the boss of the gang! Did yer think how we missed yer? Going off with this bad news and never a thought to yer old mates! Thanks for nothin'!"

Looker's eyes widened, but Emma still stared at Nix with determination, ignoring Looker's confusion.

"Oh, put a sock in it!" she snapped at Nix. "I said up front – don't count me in!"

"Emma," Looker started, "what is the meaning of-"

"It's all him, Mr. Looker!" Emma said as she stared at Nix in the eyes, Mimi standing by her side and doing the same with her big, creepy eyes. "He and his gang promised to help me out and took me in, but it turned out just as everyone else who took pity on me. He went ahead and called me boss without even asking what _I_ wanted. I decide for myself! Now back off before I _really _lose it!"

As if to emphasize her words, Mimi's eyes glowed slightly, Nix taking a few steps backwards.

"Oi!" Nix told her. "Have yer forgotten? My Krookodile's a bloody dark-type, it is! Like little Mimi'll be able to do anything to that!"

"Yeah," Emma said with a smile highly reminiscent of Serena's when she was hatching her plans, "but do you think you can open a Poké Ball with those hands before Mimi's psychic energy turns them into pudding?"

Nix shivered, but nodded at the Punk Girl, who reluctantly gave a bunch of Poké Balls to Emma. Emma also made Nix apologize to Looker, and would no doubt force him to apologize to the tourist as well. Looker accepted the apology gracefully, still somewhat shocked over how Emma had pretty much solved the case for him. Still, he tried to retain his dignity.

"Well," he sighed. "I guess this is the right time to say: 'case closed'! Just one. More. Thing. You there! Since you surrendered _somewhat_ peacefully, I'd like to say this is water under the bridge. After all, it is your intention to just be friends with Emma, am I correct?"

Nix scoffed. "You figured that out, eh?"

"Do not be mistaken," Looker said and assumed his signature chin-stroking pose. "When people act with evil intentions, I cannot turn away and lightly forgive such. Especially to people who do cruel and thoughtless things, like stealing people's beloved Pokémon..."

Nix scowled.

"However!" Looker said suddenly after a slight dramatic pause. "I believe... no. Not just believe. I KNOW! People and Pokémon are both capable of, well, 'evolving'. And so, if you give your word of honor not to ever lift a hand in cruelty again, then you may come by the Looker Bureau anytime to visit Emma... as her friends. _If _that is okay with Emma, I mean."

"Mr. Looker," Emma said quietly and turned to look at Nix. "I still remember how you guys got me food and clothes... and how you sheltered me from rain... and kept me and Mimi company... I'd like to still be in touch with you."

Nix turned away. "Y-yes, sir," he said quietly. "And, um, cheers, Emma... we'll honor our promise."

"Well, that's that!" Looker said and clapped his hands with finality. "Come along, Emma, let's return to the Bureau!"

"Right!" Emma said. "Come on, Mimi."

As Looker, Emma and Mimi left the Lumiose Station, carrying the Poké Balls on their laps, it was very quiet between them, Emma wondering how to start explaining, when it was Looker who opened his mouth first.

"Thank you very much for coming to my aid," he said. "I can understand why you didn't want me involved in this case."

"I'm sorry for what happened there," Emma said.

"If you learned something from this, that's all I need to hear," Looker said calmly. "And that would have developed into a sticky situation, had you not intervened. Perhaps I have been wrong, for the first time in my life, leaving you to the office like that. You are truly capable of being not just my assistant... but as my partner in the Looker Bureau!"

Emma couldn't help but smiling widely at that. "Thanks, Mr. Looker!" she said earnestly. "Me and Mimi will do our best to help you!"

"It looks like we already have our next case," Looker mused. "We must find the owners of these stolen Pokémon. Perhaps there are one or two rich people there too whom we can charge a little fee from, eh?"

"You bet!" Emma laughed. "What should my first task be?"

"Have you finished your studies yet?"

"Um... n-no..."

"Well, then you know where to start!"

**~o~O~o~**

That night, with Tierno having left Lumiose City to go train and find new dance moves, Trevor was alone in his room at his sister's place. He had spent most of the day jumping from one library and book store to the next, hoping to secure whatever literature he could find that had even one mention of the words 'Xerneas' or 'Yveltal'. But what he found wasn't something he was just going to tell Serena.

"Xerneas unleashes 'life energy'," Trevor mumbled as he read, then starting to cross-reference his pile of books for that word. "'Life energy', huh? Is that the same as 'aura' or 'qi'? Or is it just one part of it... the 'fuel that makes trees grow and flowers blossom'...?"

Trevor tapped his lower lip with his pen, not even realizing he was leaving little ink marks around his mouth.

"So the life energy can be released or drained, what the two Pokémon do," Trevor mumbled. "That arrogant fire-obsessed maniac wishes to become immortal, meaning she will have to absorb huge quantities of this energy. That means it can also be taken away from her... and even transferred."

Trevor grinned to himself.

"Interesting," he murmured and picked up his Xtransceiver, dialing the nearest hospital. "Yes, excuse me, I understand Mr. Clemont, the gym leader, was recently admitted there. May I speak to him, please? Just tell him that I'm a _friend_ of Serena's."

_It's all coming together_, Trevor thought as he was being connected to Clemont's room. _Soon these fools with _truly_ know what the fear of Trevor feels like_!

* * *

"Ah, another case successfully solved. But a detective as hard-boiled as me needs a break once in a while and Emma needs to continue her studying. She is learning to read properly with little difficulty, but she also keeps stressing over money despite my repeatedly telling her no to. However, she has also supplied me some interesting info on Serena. She has left the city, and I know exactly where, meaning she'll soon feel the full extent of my vengeance... but right now, me and Emma are off for some crème brûlées! Speaking of Serena, she will be up against Valerie of Laverre City next, confident that her knowledge of fairy-types is enough... little does she know that she's in for a surprise! Eagerly await the next installment of '_Heroes of Kalos Abridged'_!"


	12. What the Fairy?

**Chapter Twelve: _What the Fairy?_**

"I hope they remember to tell jokes again."

"What's that, Shauna?"

"What? Oh, sorry, I was watching my favorite comedy show on the Holo Caster and they went all serious all of a sudden. Like I care about what's going on! Ooh, look at that, a haunted house!"

Serena and Shauna were slowly making their way to Laverre City, Serena trying to keep Shauna from getting sidetracked by every shiny thing she found on the ground and every interesting-looking tree or rock formation. This time, she was distracted by an innocuous-looking, dilapidated wooden house, an odd sight when traipsing through the middle of nowhere behind Arceus' back around rural Kalos.

"How do you know it's haunted?" Serena asked. "Looks just like an ordinary shack to me. And for that matter, how would that be anything unusual? We live in a world full of ghosts! And for _that_ matter, aren't you afraid of them?"

"Well, real ones, sure~" Shauna said excitedly, grabbed Serena's hand and started pulling her towards the house. "But this was listed in the Kalos guidebook! It's an attraction, like the scary houses you see in carnivals and stuff! Haven't you ever been to one?"

"No," Serena said grimly. "The laughter and excited squeals of children are like ear poison to me."

"Well, then it's time you went into one. It'll be fun~!"

Inside the house, a man who was dressed in a white suit prepared to tell a 'scary' story to Serena and Shauna. The house itself wasn't too scary – it looked more like the guy living there had forgotten to pay the electricity bill. And the man telling the story didn't even bother to put on a scary costume, even though men in white suits did look pretty creepy to Serena. Plus his dandyism reminded her of Mr. Bonding, though that would be more annoying than scary.

"Long ago, on a dark and stormy night," the man began, "I was lost and came across this house. The lights would not turn on, so I fearfully looked around the house."

"Is this fun yet?" Serena asked Shauna, who shushed and eagerly listened to the man's story.

"Eventually, I made my way into the kitchen. There was no sign of anyone being there. I found the fridge, and when I opened it, a faint light leaked out. I could finally make out my surroundings. And I saw the faint outline of a _man_ huddling in the corner of the _room_. I tried to tell him that I was _LOST_ and I was hoping he'd let me stay until morning, but when I approached him..."

Serena yawned. Shauna didn't look scared either, but was leaning forward to hear every word.

"...the man suddenly screamed: 'STAY BACK!' I apologized and continued to plead my case: 'Please, can't you help me?' He shouted: 'I'm not talking to you!' I looked at the man in surprise. When I did this, he asked me... 'Can't you see them? Behind you! A HORDE OF... wait for it... FACELESS MEN! DUN DUN DUNNNNNN!'"

Serena just stared at the man while Shauna leaned forward even more, anticipating a conclusion for the story, but the man didn't say anything.

"Now then," he finally said in a normal voice, "since I told a wonderful story that will always haunt you... would you be so kind as to tip me? If you don't, you might see something _really_ scary! Bwa ha ha haa..."

Doing an evil laugh caused the man to cough pathetically. Shauna stomped the ground indignantly.

"You're charging us?!" she yelled.

"Hey, nothing's free, you know!" the man protested. "The law of equivalent exchange, kids!"

"Sheesh!" Shauna sighed, rolled her eyes and grabbed Serena's arm again. "Let's get out of here! Come on, Ser! Ser?"

Serena didn't go anywhere. She just stood in place, trembling and staring into space, even biting her expertly trimmed and painted nails nervously.

"What's wrong?" Shauna asked her.

"Fuh-faceless people," Serena whimpered. "Like the Suh... the S-Slender Man..."

Shauna dragged Serena out of the house, waiting for her to cool down. Honestly, Shauna had expected Serena to light the man's house on fire. Once Serena had shaken the story off, she claimed that she would have done that if the weather wasn't so rainy.

"...and I don't want to evoke the wrath of the faceless people," Serena muttered.

"Huh?"

"Nothing! Shauna, you better not tell anyone about this or so help me Moltres, I will eat your Pokémon!"

Shauna wasn't listening, though. She just sighed in disappointment and glanced at the house.

"I guess it really was a scary house, in a way," she observed.

With that out of the way, the duo continued on to Laverre City. Serena wasn't surprised when Shauna had quickly gotten over her tantrum at Calem, though she was still careful not to mention his name or even imply that a person like that existed.

Laverre City, the northernmost place in the most mountainous area of Kalos was like a village right out of a fairy tale, with it looking like it was fall all year long, heavily forested all over and filled with things like old-fashioned wells and oversized mushrooms which Shauna wanted to jump on or taste before Serena dragged her away.

"Okay, so we have three options," Shauna listed as she read her guide while she and Serena walked through the town. "Fill our bellies with deliciously succulent food at the café, get us some ultra-swag new super-mega-chocolatey-awesome-esque clothes at the boutique... or go to the boring gym."

"Nice try," Serena deadpanned, "but the gym comes first. I wanna get it out of the way so we can focus on getting to the next city. I need to know I'm strong enough. And this time I'm learning from my mistakes – what's the Laverre gym leader like?"

"Okay, fine, but we are going to those other places, too, right? Oh, right, gym leader. It says here her name is Valerie, 'the maiden from the land with history'."

"What land would that be?" Serena wondered.

"Probably the Johto region," Shauna theorized. "After all, they have extensive amounts of ruins and house some of the oldest buildings known to humans, and are also home to an ancient religion that has worshiped Pokémon longer than recorded history can count... um, I think, anyway."

Serena stared at Shauna.

"What?" Shauna asked. "Something wrong, Ser~?"

"Nothing," Serena smiled. "Go on."

"Well, she's a former fashion model who toured around Kalos a lot before settling in permanently to start a gym. It says she's an expert on fairy-type Pokémon. She sounds cool!"

"Yes, and soon she and her Pokémon are going to be _hot_!"

Now it was Shauna's turn to stare at Serena.

"You don't have to take everything the wrong way," Serena said. "Long story short, fire beats fairy. Everyone knows the type chart goes, from best to worst, fire, fairy, everything else, water and stinky bug-types. No offense to your Squirtle, Shauna."

"None taken~!" Shauna said cheerfully. "You wanna challenge her now?"

"You bet!" Serena said confidently. "I bet that half an hour from now, I'll be holding the sixth badge in my hands!"

The gym was built inside a huge, centuries-old tree that was apparently the base where the city sprung from. If it looked weird from the outside, being an old building inside a tree and all, it was even more bizarre from the outside. Bright pastel colors blinded Serena while Shauna gasped at the fairy tale -like décor.

"Oh my motherflippin' gosh!" she exclaimed. "It's like we're inside a doll house! Did you ever play with a doll house when you were little, Serena?"

"Does microwaving my dolls count?" Serena asked.

"Well, howdy, Ms. Pouty!" the gym guide greeted Serena, apparently right away assuming that she was the challenger. "Hey, why in a huff, little Jigglypuff?"

"Haven't had to deal with _you_ people in while," Serena groaned. "Was that supposed to be an endearing name? You're comparing me to a pink balloon with oversized eyes that throws a hissy fit when people don't listen to its terrible songs!"

"Hey, don't give me trouble, my little Snubbull!" the gym guide said, which angered Serena even more. "Sorry about this, future Champ, but I'm contractually obligated to speak like this! But anyway, it looks like you have five badges already. No small feat! Super sweet! To get to Valerie, hop on one of these warp panels and off you go, but where you land, nobody knows! Ha! Just pulling your leg, Champ! No, but seriously, you better be careful, some trainers have never returned."

"This seems like fun~!" Shauna remarked.

"Yeah, I really don't have time for that," Serena said. "I have to get all the badges before some nastiness happens. Just bring me to the gym leader at once, it's how I've gotten through all the other ones so far!"

"Wait a tic, Togetic!" the gym guide interjected. "The rules are the same to every trainer-"

Serena grabbed the gym guide's arm and tossed him against the pastel-colored wall. Before he could get up, Serena put her foot on his chest.

"Sorry," she said cordially, "but maybe you should make an exception this once."

"Oh, uh, Ms. Serena!" the gym guide wheezed. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you! Um, yes, by all means, use the blue warp pad instead! But, um, I'm afraid your friend will have to watch the battle from here... um, please, if it's not too much trouble. We don't want to repeat the Ramos incident, now do we?"

"That sounds more like it, and she can stay, I don't care," Serena remarked and helped the gym guide stand up. "Shauna, take time, I'll be back with the badge in ten minutes!"

Still smiling and full of confidence, Serena stepped on the blue warp pad. It was a strange sensation as she disappeared from the first floor in a blinding flash of light and suddenly emerged in a room completely void of any furniture and decorated with lots of purple shapes. Even the windows – if they even were actual windows – were purple-tinted.

As Serena looked around the room, she recoiled in shock as she realized someone else was there, too. She was presumably the gym leader, Valerie, just gazing at her tranquilly. Now, she knew that Kalos' gym leaders could be eccentric, ranging from photography-obsessed lunatics to verbally abusive jocks who made you climb with no safety gear to mad scientists with strange obsessions with maid outfits.

Valerie had extremely long black hair and eyes that were apparently completely purplish gray with white dots on them – some funky contact lenses, apparently, or so Serena hoped. But her outfit was the most noticeable thing. She wore an elegant, frilly pink dress, the highest heels Serena had ever seen, and her arms couldn't even be seen from under her humongous wing-shaped sleeves. In a way, the outfit was kind of cool – in another way, Serena was made more nervous by Valerie than the stories about the faceless men.

_Damn that guy for making me jittery_.

"Um, hi," Serena said carefully. "Valerie, right? My name is Serena."

Valerie simply curtsied at Serena gracefully.

"Okay," Serena said. "Now that we're well-acquainted, hows about you and I have a quick battle? It's cool if you just lose to me right away, I just want my badge. Not to brag, but I'm pretty strong."

"You are very entertaining," Valerie said in a breezy voice.

"...thanks?"

"It appears to be rainy outside," Valerie observed as she looked out of the fake window, which appeared to be just painted on. "I hope you didn't get wet on you way here. Allow me to sprinkle some fairy dust your way to help you dry off."

Valerie made a motion with her arm that looked like she was throwing something invisible. Serena stared at her blankly for a while.

"Um, well, I sure feel better now," she said slowly. "Now can we-"

"It pleases me to hear that," Valerie said serenely. "You have such lovely clothing."

"Well at least _someone_ had the tendency to point that out! People haven't told me that in, like, hours! But enough about how awesome I am, let's buh-buh-battle!"

"Oh, you're a challenger?" Valerie asked calmly.

Serena raised her eyebrows. "Um... yes? Why else would I come here?"

"I assumed you were a messenger from the fairies," Valerie said and looked at the ceiling wistfully, "fluttering down to me on a fortunate wind. But I suppose you have earned the right to face me in a gym match, kind trainer."

"Finally!" Serena said and grabbed a Poké Ball she knew she could use. "I'm kind of in a hurry, though, so is one Poké Ball okay?"

"Okay in what, dear Serena?"

"...in our gym match!"

"Oh, you wanted to battle now?" Valerie asked, making Serena want to claw her own eyes out in rage. "Very well, then. The elusive fairy-types may appear frail as a breeze and as delicate as a bloom, but they are strong."

"We'll see!" Serena said and tossed out her Poké Ball. "Lucario, go!"

Lucario wasn't overly eager to be out, though. Even after Serena had it healed, it looked exhausted, and some of the wounds from Malva's attack lingered. It didn't even bark happily at Serena like she had hoped.

"Oh, dear," Valerie said, sounding a smidgen less calm than usual as she observed Lucario.

"What?"

"What is what, dear Serena?"

"Why'd you say 'oh dear'?"

"Oh, sorry, I seem to have forgotten," Valerie said. "As for my Pokémon, I choose Mawile."

Serena wondered how Valerie could throw a Poké Ball in that costume, and indeed, her Mawile, a little yellow Pokémon with a humongous pair of black jaws, just seemed to somehow appear out of nowhere and materialize on the battlefield. Serena went first, ordering Lucario to use Flash Cannon, but the attack didn't seem to do much – Mawile just took it in.

"Hey, what gives?!" Serena complained. "Steel beats fairy!"

"Mawile is a steel-type herself, darling," Valerie responded calmly.

Serena cursed to herself – that little factoid had slipped out of her mind. Also, she hadn't really trained Lucario to use special attacks, so next up, she had Lucario use Power-Up Punch, which Valerie countered by telling Mawile to use Iron Defense. As Lucario's fist hit the Mawile, it just whimpered and retreated while holding its paw. Nonetheless, Lucario was glowing slightly, which meant it had received a boost in attack power.

"Oh, come on, that should have done way more damage!" Serena complained.

"Fairy-types also resist fighting-type moves, Serena," Valerie advised calmly, "and my Mawile has an extraordinarily high physical defense. Are you all right? We can stop this battle if you're feeling too nervous..."

"DON'T MOCK ME!" Serena raged. "I know all there is to know about fairies! Lucario, Bone Rush!"

"Please use Iron Defense again," Valerie said calmly.

Once again, before Lucario could strike Mawile, the fairy-type hardened her body, making her physical defense go though the roof – the attack barely left a scratch.

"Perhaps it is our turn to attack now," Valerie said. "Use Fire Fang, please."

"Dodge with Agility!" Serena countered.

But for whatever reason, Lucario didn't seem to want to do that, or reacted too slowly on purpose, as Mawile got to strike first. Its sharp teeth glowed red as it bit Lucario on the arm, making it howl in pain. With another Bone Rush attack, Lucario managed to pry Mawile's mouth open and get away, but the attack had left a burn on Lucario that pretty much negated any attack boosts it had gotten.

Serena was fed up. She rolled back her sleeves and demonstrated her Mega Ring bracelet so Valerie and Mawile could clearly see it.

"I didn't want to do this, but I admit, you pushed me against the wall," Serena said. "Too bad for you, I _always_ bounce back! Lucario, Mega Evolve!"

But the usual display of flashing lights and colors and Lucario transforming didn't happen, even when Serena tapped the key stone. She tapped it over and over again, getting increasingly panicked, but Lucario just turned away from her.

"Do you require assistance?" Valerie asked calmly. "May I suggest turning it off and on again?"

"Shut! Up! You! Stupid! Work! Damn! Ring! LUCARIO! What gives?!"

"Is it our turn now, Mawile?" Valerie asked her Pokémon. "I suppose so. All right, use Play Rough, if you'd be so kind."

Serena took her eyes off the Mega Ring to see Mawile pounce on Lucario, who didn't seem to bother to block it. A cartoonish ball of violence ensued, and when the smoke cleared, Mawile was on top of an unconscious Lucario. While not quite understanding what had happened, Serena slowly returned Lucario while Valerie smiled at her Mawile, who left the room into places unknown.

"I seem to have won," Valerie said. "Oh, dear, what a pity. Oh, well, I do hope you'll find things worth smiling about in the future."

Still holding Lucario's Poké Ball and staring at it all the while, Serena retreated to the blue warp pad. As she was about to disappear, she took a deep breath and uttered the loudest swear she could manage:

"FFFF-"

As she re-materialized in the first floor, she was still in the middle of it:

"_-_CK!"

"So, how'd it go~?" Shauna asked immediately.

"You saw the battle from the screen down here!" Serena pointed out.

"Oh, yeah, you lost, I know that," Shauna said quickly. "But, I mean, how do you _feel_ it went? That's what matters, right?"

"Shut up," Serena sighed. "It's all that scary house guy's fault! He threw my groove off! Without him, I would have totally won!"

"So what's next?" Shauna asked carefully. "Do you want to skip this and head to the next gym city? I think it's called Anistar or something..."

"No!" Serena snapped. "What I need to do is stay here for a few days and go through the most intense training session ever! I'm going to whip my Pokémon until their backs and my whipping hand are raw, and then some! I'll wipe that calm, soothing smile off Valerie's face for good and give that incredibly nice person what's coming to her!"

"...Serena, I mean this in the kindest way possible, but have you ever considered taking up meditation or something?"

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Looker Bureau, the shady side of Lumiose City, Kalos**_

Looker paced around his office yet again, unaware that the soles of his shoes had almost eroded. Everything related to the Serena case and everything else he had worked on had become secondary when he had come to the office this morning, unable to find Emma and Mimi anywhere.

As he was about to record a dramatic private eye monologue that he could use for inspiration later, Looker was surprised to see Emma and Mimi dash into the office. Emma closed the door behind her, talking to Mimi and apparently not having noticed Looker yet.

"We made it!" she panted at the Espurr. "Just before Mr. Looker got he-"

Mimi pulled Emma's sleeve, and Emma quickly hid the papers she was holding behind her back and greeted Looker with blatantly overacted cheer.

"Mornin', Mr. Looker!" she greeted in a high-pitched voice.

"It's two in the afternoon, Emma," Looker said harshly and crossed his arms. "Where in-"

But Looker was interrupted when Mimi ran to him, jumping up and down and looking unusually cheery (usually her expression was the same blank stare) as she made cute noises at him.

"Mimi!" Looker gasped and crouched to pat the Espurr. "You have finally accepted me! This is a glorious day for justice!"

While Mimi distracted Looker, Emma quickly stashed the papers she was holding behind a bookshelf. As Mimi stopped hopping around excitedly, Looker glanced at Emma.

"It seems you two have begun to accept this place as your new home," he said. "But while you're free to come and go as you wish, I would appreciate if you left a note or something. I was extremely worried. These streets are dangerous!"

Emma raised her eyebrows at Looker, who cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Well," he said in embarrassment and turned away, "I mean, of course you'd know that, being... well. Um... let's just both agree to have good sense of where the other person is, 'kay?"

"Right-o, Mr. Looker!"

"Splendid!" Looker said cheerfully and clapped his hands together. "Well, um, we had a pretty late night with finding the owners of those Pokémon and wrapping up your studies. Uh, speaking of which..."

"I finished readin' that book this morning," Emma said and rolled her eyes. "It was pretty interesting, but I just really don't care for those hard-boiled detective story thingies."

Looker scowled.

"I'm going to ignore that last remark," he said, "but apart from that, excellent! And, what I was going to ask was... did you have fun with that Serena and her comrades yesterday?"

"Her whuh?"

"Her compatriots," Looker clarified, to which Emma still looked confused. "Her ensemble? Her merry band? Her nakama?"

Emma blinked at Looker.

"Her friends?"

"Oh, them! Why didn't you say 'friends' right away?"

"Well, lots of reasons, but I won't get into them here. Plus it just doesn't have that certain _je ne sais quoi_!"

"Yeah, we had fun," Emma said and cheerfully walked behind Looker's desk and sat on his chair. Just a few days ago, Looker would have protested, but now he just smiled warmly when Emma did that. "We shot a PR video together," Emma continued and ate some of Looker's candy from the bowl on his desk – now Looker wasn't so patient anymore, "we ate something, I helped Serena out with Mimi's powers."

Looker tried to hide his interest – and his disappointment at his candy being eaten.

"Indeed?" he said. "Is she, uh, in trouble or something."

"Nah, but this mean woman hurt one of her Pokémon," Emma continued casually. "Um, who was it again... she had pink hair and a Chandelure... Marilyn?"

"Malva!" Looker gasped. "You mean the star of the Holo Caster? The creator of such acclaimed web series as '_Flaunting 101_' and '_The Superior Beautiful People_'?!"

"I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about," Emma said. "So... yes?"

Looker rubbed his chin.

"That is interesting," he mused. "Um, and by that I mean, thanks for telling me that, but now let's do something else!"

"Do you have us a case?!" Emma asked hopefully.

"Even better!" Looker announced. "We're gonna go out for _choucroute garnie_! You don't have to know what that means because it's food and it's delicious!"

"Aww, Mr. Looker, you don't hafta bother," Emma said. "You paid for those crème brûlées yesterday, and I took a look that the prices there – that place was expensive! I still haven't eaten the mushrooms they gave to me for some reason!"

"Nonsense, Emma, nonsense!" Looker insisted. "A world-class detective as brilliant myself _always_ finds enough time and money for some _cuisine magnifique_! But I don't know if they have that on the menu..."

**~o~O~o~**

_**Several days later, on Kalos Route 15**_

_My name? Serena. My story? Nothing special or extraordinary. Just a tale of unmatched bravery, a special kind of skill and extraordinary style! _

_Let's face it – I lost a battle. Valerie was stronger. Lucario wasn't at a hundred percent. There was dust in my eye. All of these things were factors. Fortunately for me, I never give up, and even in defeat, I accept it with grace and humility_.

It took six police officers and four firefighters to stop Serena, who was running around screaming expletives at people and attempting to burn down the gym. She didn't even use her Pokémon – just a torch she had fashioned. Fortunately, no one got hurt too badly and Shauna had called Sycamore, who used his connections to get Serena out of lockup.

_After that, I reconsidered my strategy. I began to train intensely together with all of my Pokémon barring Lucario. I would not hold back or spare to whip, not even on myself! Sadly, they were out of whips at the general store, so I had to settle with some physical training and battling random trainers. The first thing that one has to do when beginning training... is get the right ensemble! For a dramatic look, I bought a purple top, a blue scarf and a white skirt so the scarf and the skirt would look dramatic in the wind. I also wanted to untie my hair and let it flow freely as I stood on a cliff and gazed in the distance, but because I couldn't remove my hat for some reason, I let it slide._

_After a day's worth of running, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups and playing Dance Dance Revolution at the Pokémon Center, me and my Pokémon felt fit enough to challenge some local trainers. To make sure I could buy all the Potions and medicine I needed, I also equipped my Amulet Coin. Everyone paid up gracefully after I defeated them easily._

Delphox used Fire Spin to create a blazing tornado of flames, the twister grabbing a hapless Pokémon Ranger into the air and held him upside down. Serena cackled maniacally as all the loose change dropped from the Ranger's pocket.

"Next time, don't try to rip me off!" Serena yelled at him.

"Y-yes, ma'am!" the Ranger cried. "Take the money, just, for the love of Arceus, let me down – and how am I not burning in the middle of this fiery tornado?!"

"Magic!" Serena yelled.

_By my side, as always, was my faithful companion Shauna. Sure, she may act oblivious and perennially cheerful and like she doesn't know what's going on, but I know she has the mind of a ruthless tactician and is definitely a force to be reckoned with. As we traveled around the routes near Laverre, she managed to capture a powerful dragon-type Pokémon_!

While Serena was in the middle of her training, Shauna tried to teach her new Goomy to play patty-cake with her. Serena tried to point out Goomy's lack of limbs, but when Shauna didn't seem to understand, she let it go. Hours later, when Serena walked by Shauna and her Goomy again, she was shocked to see Goomy using the horn-like appendages on its head as hands.

_I am ready to challenge Valerie again. The time has come._

Serena and Shauna left the route and started walking towards Laverre again, Serena attempting to tell Shauna how to get the most power out of her Goomy while Shauna was more interested in how cute it was. Just at the edge of Laverre City, the duo spotted an old disheveled-looking man with very long and shaggy white sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree and mumbling something to himself.

"Look, Serena~!" Shauna said loudly and pointed. "A homeless man!"

"Shauna, there's a thing you should really learn that's called 'tact'."

"I was just going to be tactful," Shauna said defensively. "I mean, poor guy. He looks kinda sad..."

"Yeah," Serena mused. "I tell you, under my regime, the homeless will be no more!"

Shauna looked at Serena with a horrified expression on her face.

"Because I'll get them all homes," Serena clarified, to which Shauna nodded in relief. "Sheesh, what do you take me for, some kind of insane person?"

"Um..."

"Don't answer that, after all. Oh, damn it, Shauna, he heard us!"

Serena and Shauna tried to look as innocent as possible as they walked past the white-haired man, who was staring at them. Shauna, however, just couldn't _not_ say something.

"Hello~!" she greeted the man and stopped, forcing Serena to stop as well. "I'm Shauna! What's your name? Are you okay? What are you doing here?"

At first, the man just seemed shocked that someone actually spoke to him. Then, he grunted and stood up – and surprised both Serena and Shauna. When the man stood at his full length, he seemed to be around nine feet (or three meters) tall, leaving Shauna and Serena in his shadow.

Serena didn't want to say anything stupid about the man's size, so she tried to cut a friendly conversation.

"So, yeah, sorry about the state you're living," she said awkwardly. "But let me ask you something: would you be interested in supporting my regime? We have literally _several_ supporters by now, and I'm sure you've caught one of our PR videos – oh, right, damn it. I'm _not_ good at this!"

"Hey, mister, do you have any Pokémon~?" Shauna asked excitedly. "If so, can we see them?"

"Pokémon..." the man muttered. "The flower Pokémon... the Pokémon that was given eternal life..."

Something awoke at the back of Serena's mind. _Eternal life. Immortality. MINE!_

"What did you say?" Serena asked. "Mister homeless person, can you tell me-"

"King," the man said.

"What?"

"I am the king," he mumbled as he stared into space. "Or am I truly? What if all that was just a dream? What if I'm not even here?"

"Do you require medical assistance?" Serena wondered. "I can get you that, but first you have to tell me what you know about that 'eternal life' you talked about!"

The man stared at Serena with his mouth open, as if Serena had insulted his mother or something. His hands were trembling and he retreated a few steps.

"...no..." he said. "Ungood. Much bad. Eternal life... no, children, no, you should not... I must go..."

The very tall man left to the direction Serena and Shauna came from, still muttering to himself. Serena wanted to run and make him tell her what he knew, but even with her Pokémon, she wondered if she could subdue a man that size. Furthermore, he could be just rambling. Either way, Serena couldn't help but think about the man as she and Shauna started walking towards Laverre again. For her part, Shauna had gotten over it quickly.

"Well, that was weird!" she said cheerfully. "Say, Serena, before we go to the gym, can we-"

"There will be no 'before'!" Serena insisted. "I'm going to challenge Valerie again, and this time I will _roast_ her! Metaphorically."

"Oh, come ooooon~"Shauna pleaded. "There's plenty of places along the way! We can do something else before going to the gym and we won't even lose that much time!"

"We'll be at the gym immediately!" Serena said firmly. "Just watch!"

_A few minutes later_...

Serena and Shauna stood at the entrance to Laverre Gym. Shauna shrugged.

"Well, I guess you were right," she said nonchalantly. "How did that happen? Um, Serena?"

Serena was staring at the gym's front door with her fists and teeth clenched, as if trying to fight the urge to lose herself in a fit of rage and annihilate everyone in a five hundred yard radius.

"I'm fine!" Serena insisted. "Shauna... I need your help."

"What?!" Shauna exclaimed. "You sure about that? You never need anyone's-"

"I know. But... can you be there when I fight her? I mean, screw the rules! I need someone there to root for me. I need you to tell me I deserve to beat her. I mean, I deserve to beat her, right?"

"You worked so much for this, why wouldn't you deserve it?"

Serena remembered the way her key stone had been ineffective and how Lucario hadn't even bothered to look at her during the battle. However, she just shook her head and entered the gym, dragging Shauna with her.

After Serena had _persuaded_ the gym guide, Shauna was allowed to come with her to the gym leader's chamber. Valerie wasn't at her usual place, though. Instead, she was flying near the ceiling, being held up by wires operated by a bunch of gym trainers in the corner. As Valerie finally noticed a challenger, she signaled her wire team to lower her to the floor.

"Apologies," she said. "If I don't use them enough, my wings could fall. And when they fall, they grow into creatures filled with sorrow and regret. Everyone knows that."

"...okay," Serena said.

"I'm sure you're puzzled by my mystifying designs," Valerie continued.

"That's not the first word I would have used, but sure."

"I've always wanted to be a Pokémon," Valerie said wistfully, "to fly on the wings of a Butterfree. That desire is my inspiration and what I try to achieve by designing."

"That's a bit creepy," Shauna commented. "How could you become a Pokémon, anyway?"

"Do you not believe?" Valerie asked Shauna in a way that sounded threatening despite her serene smile. "Don't you think humans and Pokémon are one, a part of the same energy that flows within all?"

"Oh, uh, n-nothing like that!" Shauna was quick to say. "That costume is really cool, actually! But doesn't that weigh like a ton?"

"33 pounds, which is still kind of a lot to carry around on a daily basis," Valerie admitted. "Good thing I'm insanely muscular. You wouldn't believe this, but I modeled for a fitness magazine back in Johto."

"Well, you do _sort_ of look like a beautiful Pokémon in it!" Shauna complimented. "Is that what the contact lenses are for?"

"What contact lenses?"

"Enough of this!" Serena interjected. "I'm here to pay you back for the humiliation you caused, Valerie!"

Valerie turned to look at Serena calmly.

"I'm afraid we haven't met before, dear," she said.

"Wha – yes we have! We fought just a couple of days ago! And I demand satisfaction!"

"This is a Pokémon gym," Valerie pointed out.

"...that's what I meant! I want to challenge you to a battle!"

"Oh, you're a challenger? My apologies. Very well. We shall commence our battle. Are you okay with using two Poké Balls?"

"You bet it! And I'm going to show you something neat – Sylveon, go!"

There was no reaction from Valerie as Serena sent out her own adorable fairy-type, though. Instead, she summoned her Mr. Mime, who teleported into the battlefield somehow.

"_That's_ a fairy-type, too?!" Shauna wondered. "This is confusing..."

"This is it," Serena muttered. "Fairy against fairy. Serena versus Valerie, round two. She will not make fun of me the second time. Fool me twice, shame on you. Fool me twice, _shame on you for daring to defeat me_! Sylveon, Light Screen!"

"Mr. Mime, dear, could you put up a Light Screen as well?" Valerie asked.

Walls of glass appeared mid-air in front of both Sylveon and Mr. Mime, but apart from that, the combatants didn't move.

"Mr. Mime, please use Calm Mind."

"You too, Sylveon!"

Both combatants closed their eyes, causing their bodies to glow briefly, but once again, they refrained from actually attacking. Serena ordered another Calm Mind, and Valerie did the same. Shauna was close to falling asleep, having never witnessed such an uneventful battle.

But then, after a third Calm Mind, Serena suddenly told Sylveon to use Double-Edge. This clearly caught Valerie off guard, not even giving her time to react to the attack when Sylveon had hit Mr. Mime with a reckless, full-body tackle, knocking the psychic-type out. Valerie seemed to snap out of a daydream as she withdrew her Pokémon.

"Oh, dear," she could only say. "This hasn't happened in a while. But you fought well."

"Fantastic, Sylveon!" Serena praised. "Tonight, we'll finally play that annoying puzzle game! And you can have all the Poké Puffs Shauna can buy!"

"Hey!"

Valerie sent out her next Pokémon – also a Sylveon. However, if Serena's eyes didn't fail her, this one was female. Fortunately, with so many Calm Minds under his belt, Serena's Sylveon would most likely mow this Pokémon down. Serena could practically taste Valerie's tears of humiliation.

"Prepare for our signature attack, Sylveon!" Serena ordered. "MOON PRISM POWER!"

"Attract," Valerie said simply.

In the time it took Serena's Sylveon to charge his attack and aim, Valerie's Sylveon winked at him cutely and released a stream of pink hearts that started spinning around the head of Serena's Sylveon. In a second, Serena's Sylveon stopped charging his attack and instead stared at Valerie's Sylveon, a lovestruck look on his face.

"That's just playing dirty!" Serena complained. "Sylveon, do something! Use Psyshock!"

But Serena's Sylveon just stared at Valerie's Sylveon, panting like a Houndour, doing nothing. Valerie ordered her Sylveon to use Captivate, firing more, differently-shaped pink hearts at Serena's Sylveon like a machine gun, the hearts harshly lowering his special attack. Serena's Sylveon still didn't seem to mind, though. Instead, he squealed in joy and started jumping around, happy to be noticed by him new crush.

"That move should be banned!" Serena grumbled. "I'm not even kidding!"

"Sylveon, punish our foes in the name of the moon, please," Valerie said calmly.

"Oh, you do that, too."

Serena didn't even bother trying to prevent this attack from landing. Her Sylveon couldn't do a thing when infatuated, and the Moonblast attack hurt him a lot. But after getting hit by the attack, Sylveon just got up again and stared at Valerie's Sylveon, looking even more in love than before.

"Serena!" Shauna yelled from the sidelines. "I may not know much about refering... referee... refre... _judging_, but I think your Sylveon is unable to battle!"

Serena had to concede the point and withdraw her Sylveon. Still, she had one more Pokémon left, and she was going to make it count.

"Combusken, go!"

Serena was gambling it, but she had a strategy. It had worked when fighting the maid robot, after all.

Valerie ordered her Sylveon to use Dazzling Gleam, but Serena countered with Protect. Not only did Combusken shield itself from the blinding flash of light, but its feet started glowing, meaning Speed Boost had kicked in. Serena ordered a Slash attack, but Valerie was shameless with copying techniques and ordered a Detect, causing the attack to fail. Serena quickly ordered Combusken to retreat and use Protect again, but Valerie surprised her by ordering a Calm Mind – now her Sylveon was also beefing herself up.

"That Sylveon is pretty awesome," Serena commented.

Valerie curtsied at Serena again. "She appreciates the praise," she replied. "I would recommend you to catch one as well."

"...I _have _one! You just- are you even paying attention to this battle?"

"I'm sorry, dear, I must have dozed off. What were you saying?"

"You... are just messing with me, aren't you?"

Valerie smiled mysteriously. Serena shook her head and ordered Combusken to use Bulk Up, raising its offensive and defensive power. As Serena had anticipated, Valerie ordered her Sylveon to use Reflect, raising a protective shield around her, the Light Scree put up by Mr. Mime having faded away already.

"Combusken!" Serena yelled at her Pokémon suddenly. "I need you to become stronger! You have to advance!"

Valerie didn't seem to wonder why Serena was shouting. She ordered a Dazzling Gleam, but Serena told Combusken to dodge, which it did with incredible ease, moving far too quickly for Sylveon.

"I know I haven't been the best trainer, lately," Serena admitted. "I know you've noticed this as well, as have all of my Pokémon. I should have taken care of Lucario better, I know that. I deserve any hate Lucario or any of you may feel towards me."

Valerie ordered a Moonblast, but Serena was quick to order a Protect. Every turn wasted made Combusken faster – but Serena knew she needed more than speed to win this match.

"So I promise you this!" Serena yelled. "If we win, I'll take my time to get to know all of you better! We'll play all the games, even the boring puzzles! And you don't have to fight at all until the next gym! I'll ease up on the training, too. Just please – win this for me!"

"Sylveon, Dig," Valerie said.

Sylveon burrowed her way under the gym's floor, and though Combusken tried its best to move out of the way, it couldn't see where Sylveon was moving before being hit by the attack.

"Evolve!" Serena yelled.

And that it did. Combusken started to glow, blinding Sylveon with its light. Valerie, as pretty much all of Serena's opponents, was cordial enough not to attack during a transformation, and just watched as Combusken evolved, growing taller, changing its color scheme to a darker, red color and growing proper arms instead of wings with claws on them, as well as large, beige hair-like feathers on the back of its head. Serena now had a Blaziken.

And it was time to win the badge.

"Blaziken, Overheat!" Serena commanded.

Blaziken crossed its arms and glowed faint red. Before Sylveon could dodge, she was hit with an extremely powerful blast of fire, the force of the attack causing steam to come out of Blaziken as it stopped glowing. Sylveon was still not down yet, but Serena knew it wouldn't take much.

"Use Moonblast," Valerie told Sylveon.

"Now, Blaze Kick!" Serena countered.

Sylveon couldn't keep up with Blaziken's speed. The fire-type was just a blur as it ran to the fairy-type, the end of its right leg blazing in flames as it kicked Sylveon. The fairy-type was finally knocked out, Valerie withdrawing Sylveon with humility and grace.

Serena, on the other hand, threw her hands in the air and cheered wildly, rushing to hug her new Blaziken. Shauna was also excited and joined in on the hug without asking, Blaziken just looking kind of awkward and staring at its hands, as if it hadn't yet comprehended its new form.

"That was a fine battle," said Valerie. "Please accept the Fairy Badge. Its beauty is captivating, isn't it?"

Valerie did nothing, though, just stared at Serena, having the same relaxed smile on her face as always. Serena couldn't see the badge anywhere.

"Oh, sorry," Valerie said finally. "I was so captivated by its beauty. Here."

From Valerie's signal, the wire team in the corner pulled, lifting Valerie in the air, allowing Valerie to float above Serena and Shauna.

"Wait a minute," Serena said. "How can you even lift your arms in that cost-"

Serena's question was answered when Valerie spat the Fairy Badge on her hand. She quickly put it in her bag in disgust, wondering if Valerie kept the badges in some weird hammerspace in her mouth or if she could control her digestive system with thought. Both concepts were gross to her.

As Serena and Shauna left the gym to get to Laverre's Pokémon Center, feeling particularly happy, Serena got a message to her Holo Caster. Seeing the id of the messenger made her frown.

"What's wrong, Serena?" Shauna asked as Serena read the message.

"Nothing," Serena was quick to say. "Listen, can you do me a favor? Take my Pokémon to be healed, I'll catch up to you."

"Okay~!" Shauna promised. "But... did you really mean all that stuff you said? We can relax for a while?"

"Yeah," Serena nodded. "I mean, I mostly said it to make Combusken evolve, but I guess going back on it now would be a little counterproductive. Plus I think I've earned some downtime. Now run along!"

As soon as Shauna had left with Serena's Pokémon, Serena grabbed her Xtransceiver and called to the number specified in the message. It was a message from Lysandre, of all people, telling her to call him. Although someone picked up the phone on the other end, only breathing could be heard, meaning Serena would have to be the one to speak up.

"Hello, monsieur Lousandre?" she said.

Nothing but breathing again. Serena sighed.

"Are y-"

"_According to professor Sycamore's research_," Lysandre interjected suddenly, "_Mega Evolution releases all of a Pokémon's hidden energy at once. The Pokémon then exhibits a level of power it could not attain through ordinary evolution. What meaning can we draw from this? Do all people and Pokémon have such potential, or is it hidden within a chosen few?_"

After that weird rant, there was a mutual silence.

"Okay," Serena said finally. "Did you just tell me to call you so you could make that speech to me?"

"_Congratulations on your sixth badge, Serena_," Lysandre replied.

Serena almost dropped the Xtransceiver and looked around her. She had owned the Fairy Badge for a good five minutes now – how did he know?

"How do y-"

"_Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. But not me – for I am Lysandre. I wield a lot of power – all of the powers! But I do not have Mega Evolution yet. You have, don't you? You have two Pokémon who Mega Evolved_?"

Serena looked around her again – did he have someone following her? She didn't respond anything to that, though.

"_I have a proposition for you, Serena_," Lysandre said.

"You're not my type," Serena said quickly.

"_NONE OF THAT!_" Lysandre yelled suddenly, forcing Serena to hold the phone away from her ear. "_I do not tolerate lewdness, Serena. I was going to ask you – are you interested in immortality?_"

Serena licked her lips. Finally, it was within arm's reach. No vague promises, no homeless old men rambling incoherently. Serena knew Lysandre was a man who could arrange it. But what was the catch?

"Does such a thing exist?" Serena asked stealthily.

"_Nothing is impossible. I have monitored your progress. You are a fine specimen, Serena._"

"Thanks for the creepy praise. What do you want?"

"_I could make you immortal. I could give you so much power that even the one the Champion wields will seem like nothing. All you have to do is be by my side when the time comes_."

The way Lysandre said that reminded Serena of something, but she ignored it for now. She knew what was being asked of her. But why? Not too long ago, Malva had explicitly threatened her not to get involved. And now she was offered a chance to be right in the thick of it. Lysandre could be the one to make her dream come true... and could it be true that all Serena had to do was join him? Help him catch Xerneas? Was that the extent of his plan?

"I'll call you back," Serena told him and hung up.

Serena was feeling too many emotions to think clearly. An offer like that was far too tempting to be ignored – but Serena hadn't been intending to share her power with some bearded weirdo. Perhaps her mind would be clearer after a few rounds of Dance Dance Revolution...

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: A very shady side of Lumiose City, Kalos**_

_**Later that night...**_

Malva was walking down a nearly deserted Hibernal Avenue. There weren't any people moving about that late at night on a weekday, and she had a meeting scheduled on an alley behind Restaurant Le Wow. Every step she took, she was annoyed and distracted when she seemed to spot the same trash can in every street corner – as if it had followed her.

After giving some documents to a Team Flare Grunt, Malva prepared to leave – and sighed when she saw the trash can again. She opened a Poké Ball to let her Talonflame out.

"Do you mind?" she asked the flying-type and pointed at the trash can.

The Talonflame flew over the trash can and grabbed something from it with its powerful talons. That something was a person – Looker – whom Talonflame brought in front of Malva. From Malva's command, Talonflame let go of Looker and flew on Malva's shoulder, from where it glared down at the hapless detective.

"Very impressive," Looker remarked as he got up from the ground and dusted himself. "You saw through my ingenious disguise. I can see how you'd get the best of even the criminal I've been chasing for all these months."

"You've been following me around for days now," Malva pointed out, surprising Looker with her knowledge. "Yes, I noticed, and I thought it was cute at first. Thinking you could actually tail me without me noticing – so precious!"

Malva leaned over to pinch Looker's cheek. Looker looked as serious as always.

"But I'm getting a bit tired of it now," Malva continued. "You're the private investigator who's been causing trouble for some local affiliates of us lately. So, as much as you amuse me... I'm afraid I can't let you leave this alley, Mr... Looker, wasn't it?"

Looker just smiled and showed Malva his cell phone, which had plenty of pictures of Malva. Even if they were dark and a bit blurry, one could clearly make out Malva meeting a Team Flare Grunt in them. Malva just scoffed.

"Do you think I'll let you leave this place in one piece with that?" she asked.

"I don't need to go anywhere," Looker boasted. "I sent that picture to my computer, and it'll be automatically posted online should something happen to me."

Malva laughed.

"My, my, you've planned this well, haven't you?" she asked condescendingly. "Tell me, who would the populace rather believe? A world-famous idol with a _lot_ of connections – or some smelly, shady guy in a trench coat claiming to be a detective?"

Looker looked clearly hurt by the 'smelly' part, stopping to sniff his coat, but got over it quickly.

"If the case were as such, sympathies would definitely be on your side," he mused and reached for his pocket casually. "People are fairly gullible, after all. Unfortunately for you, I'm _far_ more than that."

Looker gave Malva a card with his identification on it. For once, the smug sneer on Malva's face was wiped off as she read the card, replaced with a look of shock and disbelief.

"This can't be real!" she said and scowled at Looker. "You're bluffing!"

Looker just smiled. "Can you count on it?" he asked.

Malva crossed her arms threateningly. "How much do you want, then?"

Looker just raised his hand in rejection.

"You've stumbled upon the one person money can't ward off," he just said. "What I'm after is something no one can afford. For now, just keep doing what you're doing now, Ms. Malva – with the knowledge that _we're_ watching you, of course. But when the time comes, I will need you to come to my aid. Are we clear?"

Malva made an annoyed "tsk" sound and walked away, while Looker turned around to head back to his motel, whistling cheerfully all the while. Soon, he'd get rid of all his problems with one fell swoop.

* * *

"Boy, that Mr. Looker sure has been kind to us, Mimi. I wish we could pay him back soon... also, talk about the plot thickening! I thought this'd be about nothing but cheap jokes and makin' fun of Calem! With this Team Flare tangle goin' on, I wonder how Serena will handle herself in the next chapter, when the Poké Ball Factory is attacked. So yeah, look forward to that. What's that, Mimi? Oh, yeah, since this was so short - well, to some, plenty enough words for my liking - expect a bonus chapter in a day or two. Big thanks from all of us for readin' '_Heroes of Kalos Abridged_'!"

"_Nya_~!"


	13. Interlude: The Story So Far

**Interlude: The Story so Far**

Professor Sycamore was dozing on a couch in his empty lab, looking as fabulous as ever. Even when a stick appeared from off-screen to poke him, he still wouldn't wake up, only mumbling to himself.

"Lysandre," he muttered. "Why can't you see it... what's between us... we were meant to be..."

Finally, after a particularly hard jab with the stick, Sycamore woke up with a loud chortle.

"Oh, thank goodness you woke me up," he gasped and rubbed his eyes. "I had the most horrible dream! No matter how much product I used, my hair was all saggy and stringy... I couldn't show myself in public, I tell you that! Anyway, what's this about? Oh, right."

Sycamore cleared his throat.

"Welcome, dear readers!" he announced. "We've made it well past the fifty-percent point, and the plot, if you can call it that, is getting thicker than ever! After a shameful absence of your friendly neighborhood Sycamore in the last chapter, the smokin', suave science stud is back! And I was chosen to narrate this next part."

"You see, with all the stuff that has happened, how are readers expected to keep up? I mean, even I don't know what's happening anymore! So, for your benefit, here's a little recap of the story so far. Enjoy!"

**~o~O~o~  
**

"**HEROES OF KALOS ABRIDGED" PRESENT****S****: A 100% ACCURATE RECAP OF THE LAST TWELVE CHAPTERS – IN GLORIOUS 2D!**

**Serena**: Bye mom, gonna take over Kalos, BRB!

Serena greets her new "friends" of Vaniville Town with a flamethrower in hand.

**Serena**: I'm evil! Fire, fashion, immortality, all that!

**Shauna**: Want to meet the gang~?

**Serena**: No.

**Shauna**: Great! I'm the cute airhead who may or may not be one of the smartest people in this story~!

**Calem**: Sup, babe, I'm an obnoxious stereotype of a rival who fails at everything he does, I may or may not have a crush on you!

**Trevor**: Foolish maggots! I wish to exterminate you all because of my superior intellect and other poorly established reasons! Also I'm cuter than Shauna!

**Tierno**: Dancing! Also, here, have some Pokémon.

Serena gets Fennekin, Calem gets Froakie and Shauna get Chespin even though she hardly ever uses it.

**Serena**: (hugs Fennekin roughly) Frickin' 可愛い!

Cut to Santalune Forest in flames.

Cut to Santalune City Gym.

**Viola**: Photo puns!

Cut to Serena holding her first gym badge with Viola groveling at her feet.

**Serena**: Well, that was easy.

Cut to Lumiose City, where professor Sycamore struts in with a rose in his mouth while smooth saxophone music plays.

**Sycamore**: Yo, I'm the coolest professor ever. Don't worry about your mom, I'll keep her company, wink wink, nudge nudge.

**Serena**: What?

**Sycamore**: No talk, it's battle time!

One intensive battle between Serena and Sycamore later:

**Sycamore**: Well, I lost, Serena, Calem and Shauna can have Charmander, Bulbasaur and Squirtle and Tierno and Trevor get jack because I said so, now GTFO, I need to do my hair!

Cut to Café Soleil.

**Diantha**: Guess who's the champion?!

**Lysandre**: Guess who's evil?!

**Serena**: Screw you, I'mma go and be both those things!

**Calem**: I AM NOT BETRAYING YOU, SERENA, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!

Cut to the Parfum Palace.

**Serena**: I think Calem might be betraying me.

**Shauna**: What makes you say that~?

**Serena**: Just a hunch.

**Parfum Palace gatekeeper**: You need to pay to get in.

**Shauna**: Damn capitalism!

Shauna and Serena proceed to assault a librarian and steal a book.

Magnificent fireworks explode in the night sky above Parfum Palace while Shauna and Serena look on and hold hands. Since this is a very somber and often-referenced moment, we will let it go.

Cut to the bridge where a Snorlax has been awakened.

**Serena**: Well, that was awkward.

**Shauna**: It's great to be friends with you, Serena! I'll make great memories with my friends because friendship is the friendshipiest friendship of memories, yay friends and memories~!"

**Serena**: Uh huh.

**Shauna**: Are we best friends, Serena~?

**Serena**: Of course! Now go away!

Cut to outside the Battle Chateau, where Tierno is waiting. Trevor is thrown out of the Chateau in a humiliating manner.

**Tierno**: Dancing! Also, hi Serena! You should totally go to this place, even though you have better things to do. What do you think, Trevor?

**Trevor**: I-

**Serena**: That's a great idea, Trevor! Now go away!

In the Battle Chateau, Serena meets a suspicious-looking maid.

**Maid**: _Beep beep boop_.

**Serena**: Well, you seem like a normal human.

Serena defeats the maid. The maid turns out to be a Terminator who attempts to steal Serena's Pokémon.

**Maid**: _Bleep_.

**Serena**: Oh no, you're not a normal human!

**Iris**: Hey, check out my cool dress, wanna help me kill that thing?

**Serena**: (with tears in her eyes) That was the most beautiful thing anyone's ever said to me!

Serena, Iris and their Pokémon chuck the Maid out of the window.

**Serena**: Surely that's the last we'll see of her!

**Iris**: Have a Torchic!

**Serena**: Why?

**Iris**: 'Cause!

**Serena**: 'Kay. (takes Torchic) Thanks Iris! You're the best person ever! Now go away!

Cut to Lumiose City, where Looker suddenly appears.

**Looker**: (private eye monologue) I'm in this story, too! I want to capture Serena, but instead of using my authority as a highly ranked member of the International Police, I'll make elaborate schemes that never work and pretend I have it under control.

Looker then suddenly appears before Tierno and Trevor.

**Looker**: (hard-boiled voice) Hi, kids, want to help me out?

**Tierno**: Dancing! We should totally trust all shady adults who talk to us randomly, right Trevor?

**Trevor**: I-

**Looker**: (hard-boiled voice) Great, follow me! Don't worry, you can trust me!

Cut to Tierno and Trevor in Xerosic's lab, Xerosic laughing crazily as Trevor is put in a giant mecha that makes him crazy and causes him to almost destroy the city.

**Tierno**: We really shouldn't have trusted him!

Tierno runs to Mecha-Trevor.

**Tierno**: THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP!

The mecha is destroyed and Trevor falls out unharmed into Tierno's arms. The police appear suddenly, but then Emma and an Espurr called Mimi come to the rescue.

**Emma**: Hey, I'm an orphan living on the streets of Lumiose, but I'm okay with that! :) You gave me food, so now we're best friends!

**Mimi**: _Nya_.

**Tierno**: That thing freaks me out!

Emma, Tierno, Trevor and Mimi flee while the incompetent police of Lumiose look on.

**Police officer**: Welp, they're gone, might as well stop searching.

Cut to Glittering Cave, where Serena is with Calem for some reason. Team Flare Grunts appear in the cave and strike a pose while dubstep plays on the background.

**Serena**: You are the lamest villains ever!

**Team Flare Grunt**: We're above your criticism!

**Serena**: And your outfits are dumb!

The shame the Team Flare Grunts feel causes them to explode.

Cut to Cyllage City, where Serena and Calem meet Grant and Korrina.

**Grant**: Why are you here?

**Korrina**: I'm the most plot-important gym leader! I'm going to appear _soooo_ many times-

**Serena**: Sorry, we're not doing that.

**Korrina**: Oh.

**Grant**: Anyway, wanna battle me?

**Serena**: Sure! Good thing you're saner than that previous gym le-

**Grant**: ALL RIGHT NOW CLIMB THIS WALL YOU USELESS ***! WHAT, ARE YOU SCARED, YOU *** ***?! YOU *** *** *** *** AND WITH *** *** *** *** YOUR MOTHER!

**Serena**: Eep.

Serena climbs up the wall and battles Grant, who uses rock-types, meaning Serena is screwed, and loses two of her Pokémon right away.

**Serena**: How could this be?!

**Grant**: Don't worry, I'll let you use more than two for no adequate reason!

**Serena**: Awesome!

Serena wins the battle.

**Serena**: (holding her badge) This is almost as fun as that one time when I stole that book!

Suddenly, Looker and a bunch of police officers appear to arrest Serena.

**Serena**: WTF?!

**Grant**: Oh, yeah, this was a trap.

**Looker**: (hard-boiled voice) My elaborate scheme worked for once!

**Calem**: I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS I WOULD NEVER BETRAY YOU, SERENA!

Cut to an interrogation room where Serena and Looker stare down in an epic fashion. A long silence follows. Then:

**Looker**: (hard-boiled voice) You killed my Croagunk!

**Serena**: This story is taking an unnecessarily dark turn.

**Looker**: (hard-boiled voice) You're going to jail!

Suddenly, Sycamore bursts into the room.

**Sycamore**: SYCAMORE POWER!

Sycamore gives Looker a 'get out of jail free' -card that Serena had sent him. Looker curses and goes away. Cut to outside the police station.

**Serena**: Thanks for the help.

**Sycamore**: No, Serena – I _am_ your father!

**Serena**: No you're not!

**Sycamore**: Oh, right, I'm not. Here, have an egg.

**Serena**: (takes egg) Why?

**Sycamore**: 'Cause!

**Grant**: I'm apparently on Serena's side now!

Calem appears suddenly.

**Calem**: WHAT'S GOING ON GUYS I WAS BUSY NOT BETRAYING SERENA!

Cut to Shalour City, where Serena and Calem meet Shauna, Tierno and Trevor.

**Shauna**: Memories~!

**Tierno**: Dancing!

**Trevor**: This joke is running a little th-

**Serena**: No time, let's go to the Tower of Mastery!

**Tierno**: Take this rock first!

**Serena** (takes rock) What does it do?

**Tierno**: I have no idea!

Cut to the Tower of Mastery where Korrina and Gurkinn wait.

**Gurkinn**: I only have one Mega Ring until the plot says otherwise, you gon' have to fight for it!

**Calem**: I will never lose!

Moments later, Calem loses. Serena suddenly has a Charizard, who pins Calem to the ground painfully. No one bothers to help him.

**Serena**: You betrayed me!

**Calem**: Now, to be fair, I never said I wasn't going to do that!

**Serena**: Get out.

Calem slouches away while sorrowful music plays. Serena flies to the top of the tower and gets a Mega Ring, drooling at the thought of having so much power. Serena and Korrina prepare to have an intense battle, both using Mega-Evolved Pokémon.

Serena wins. Who'd have known?

Cut to the Kalos Power Plant.

**Calem**: I'm going to redeem my character!

Calem proceeds to get humiliated even more in every scene he is in.

**Shauna**: Oh yeah, Serena, what Pokémon do you even have~?

**Serena**: Delphox Talonflame, Charizard, Combusken, Sylveon and Lucario!

**Shauna**: I thought you only trained fire-types~?

**Serena**: Deal with it!

Serena proceeds to kick ass in every scene she is in, defeating Ramos, the Team Flare Scientists, Maid (twice), Clemont (sort of) and Calem.

**Calem**: (after losing) Can we still be friends again?

**Serena**: Well...

**Shauna**: DRAMATIC OUT-OF-CHARACTER-MOMENT! I HATE YOU CALEM!

Shauna stomps away. Serena shrugs and follows her while Calem looks sad and sorrowful music plays.

Cut to Lumiose City.

**Iris**: Hey, Emma, do you want a place to stay?

**Emma**: No!

**Looker**: (appearing suddenly) (hard-boiled voice) Hey, Emma, do you want a place to stay?

**Emma**: Sure!

Emma and Mimi settle in the Looker Bureau.

**Looker** (private eye monologue): Hah! Little does this girl know that I'm just using her to get to Serena somehow!

**Emma**: Mr. Looker!

**Looker**: (soft-boiled voice) What is it, Emma? Do you need something? Have you done your homework yet? Don't worry about anything, I'll take care of you!

**Emma**: But-

**Looker**: (hard-boiled voice) But before that, I MUST GO DO JUSTICE!

Cut to the Lumiose Station. Looker is being beaten up by Lumiose Gang members.

**Looker**: (hard-boiled voice) I really should have thought this through!

Emma and Mimi appear. The Lumiose Gang members are promptly defeated.

**Looker**: (hard-boiled voice) You saved me! Let's be partners!

**Emma**: Yay!

**Looker**: (soft-boiled voice) But brush your teeth first!

**Emma**: Boo!

Cut to Laverre City Gym.

**Serena**: I AM INVINCIBLE!

**Valerie**: _Ay ee ay ee ay_

_I'm Your little butterfly_

_Green, black, and blue_

_Make the colors in the sky~_.

Valerie proceeds to completely destroy Serena

**Serena**: DAMN IT!

Serena proceeds to train intensively to a musical montage. After that, she and Shauna return to the gym. Serena confronts Valerie.

**Serena**: Rematch!

**Valerie**: _I've been searching in the woods__  
__And high upon the hills__  
__Just to find__  
__To find my __fairy-type~._

Combusken evolves into a Blaziken randomly, thus allowing Serena to defeat Valerie.

**Valerie**: Hax!

**Serena**: (holding her sixth badge) Don't care, I'm outta here!

**Shauna**: I wonder who the villain is...?

Serena receives a message to her Holo Caster. It's from Lysandre.

**Lysandre**: _It's me_.

**Shauna**: I wonder who the villain is...?

Cut to Lumiose City, where Looker confronts Malva.

**Looker**: Are you a villain?

**Malva**: Honey, I'm the _most _villain! I'm the only character you can take seriously in this story, I implied that I'd kill all of Serena's friends if she misbehaves and my character design is _fabulous_!

**Looker**: You're going to help me.

**Malva**: Why would I do that?

**Looker**: 'CAUSE!

Looker gives Malva a card.

**Malva**: Oh no! A card! My one weakness!

Cut to Trevor, who is sitting alone in his room, researching. When he realizes he's finally alone, he smirks evilly and prepares to say something world-shattering.

**Trevor**: I-

**~o~O~o~  
**

Sycamore was filing his nails and looking bored when the stick suddenly appeared to jab him again, startling him.

"Whoa! Oh, um, wasn't that fun? I especially enjoyed the parts where that wonderful Augustine Sycamore was in. Other than that, it was kinda _meh_, actually. You brought me back from doing awesome science to narrate this? Even when I explicitly told you otherwise. Man, screw this! I'm going to see if Diantha's gotten out of work yet."

* * *

**_A/N: Yeah, this was kind of silly, but I wanted to do this for two reasons. One, a little bonus chapter is always in order, especially because the last chapter was a bit shorter (and in my opinion, not as good as the two chapters before that) and the next chapter might be a while, like a week or two, due to school stuff. Then again, with my updating schedule, that's nothing unusual! Heh... *sighs*_**

**_Also, I thought a little recap wouldn't hurt, especially to new readers. Hi, new readers! *waves* _**

**_The idea was inspired by, and by inspired by, I mean shamelessly lifted from Team Four Star's Dragonball Z Kai Abridged videos. The only way it really works in writing is via script format, and since the rest of the story is not in that, I'm not breaking any rules, really._**

**_Huge thanks to all the readers for their loyalty, patience and kind reviews/favorites/follows/reads in general. Big thanks in particular to RunningRapidash, RandomNumbers523156, RonnyBravo the Breadghost and anonymous reviewer "Guest" for the reviews I just read. And thanks to all of you out there, anyway! I hope you'll have a great day. Chapter 13 will be up, fairly soon, I hope.  
_**


	14. Fashion Police

**Chapter Thirteen: _Fashion Police_**

_**Location: Magenta Plaza, Lumiose City, Kalos**_

Lysandre was leaving the Lysandre Café, having made sure everything there was running smoothly and that the new stationary had his name spelled properly. Not that there was much need for it once his plan came in motion. As he headed for a cab, he had to withstand being greeted enthusiastically by some of the townspeople, a Skiddo even coming close to sniff him and lick his hand. Lysandre smiled, knowing it would be only be a week until this problem went away for good.

Still, being about to commit genocide had its problems. Like, who and what did the new world need the most? His brand of shampoo, definitely. And movies starring Diantha! Why, he couldn't live without 'em. To kill such a brilliant actress would be a crime!

But to enjoy watching Diantha's movies forever, he'd have to share immortality with her... Lysandre shuddered at the idea. _Sharing_. Clearly, humanity had demonstrated that there wasn't just enough to go around.

Walking along Northern Boulevard, Lysandre attempted to find a cab. That was another thing he hadn't considered – who'd be driving cabs once his plan would succeed? The grunts were far too incompetent, that was for sure. Come to think of it, his plan had a lot of logical holes in it...

Lysandre shook his head. _My plan is perfect_, he thought. _Humanity is bad and they should feel bad. Only the beautiful elite, Team Flare, shall be allowed to live. Though the grunts really need to work on their choreography if they hope to stay on the list..._

Finally, Lysandre spotted a taxi coming. As he was about to hail it, he saw that it was occupied. _Damn it_, he thought. _This is exactly why my plan needs to happen! How dare that person be in the cab that I was about to take! Do they not know the importance of my buttocks resting on a comfortable seat? Do they expect me to walk? Oh, the selfishness of humans..._

But the cab pulled over next to Lysandre even without him hailing it. The window on the back seat was opened and the smiling face of professor Sycamore, who was dressed in casual clothes today, popped into view.

"Get in, loser, we're going shopping!" he told Lysandre and opened the door.

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Pokémon Fan Club, Laverre City, Kalos**_

"That's it, my dears!" Serena told her Pokémon. "Frolic of your heart's content! Eat! Rest! Play! Enjoy! Recharge!"

Serena had arranged a deal with the president of the Pokémon Fan Club. She, Shauna and their Pokémon would have full use of the Fan Club's facilities for Pokémon, which included a dining area with tons of Pokémon food, facilities for resting, a _huge_ indoors playground with simulated environments for every kind of Pokémon habitat, from deserts to the ocean, and of course, a gym and a battlefield for the Pokémon to battle on their own without their trainers getting in the way.

In return for getting to use the clubhouse, Serena had offered fire, and lots of it.

Charizard immediately went for the Pokémon food, gorging it down with reckless abandon and growling when everyone else tried to come close. Talonflame disappeared somewhere into the simulated forest. A reluctant Blaziken agreed to play with the enthusiastic Sylveon. And Delphox was using its powers to levitate a bunch of brushes to groom its fur in front of a full-length mirror. Serena glanced at Lucario in concern – it had gone to meditating in the corner and wouldn't even acknowledge Serena.

"Today is your day of rest!" Serena promised all her Pokémon loudly, but observed Lucario's reactions as she said it. "You've earned it. You trained hard, fought well and were great min... companions to me!"

Lucario didn't react, however. It kept its eyes closed as it meditated, not acknowledging Serena at all.

Shauna's Chesnaught, Bunnelby, Squirtle, Goomy and Snorlax were also having the time of their lives, though they mostly stayed in their own clique instead of dealing with Serena's Pokémon – all of them except for maybe Sylveon took after their trainer in a bit _too_ many regards, as Chesnaught learned when attempting to make nice with Charizard but ending up in need of several Burn Heals. Snorlax didn't join the others too much, though. It just relaxed as Shauna tossed food in its open mouth at regular intervals.

"This was a really good idea of you, Serena~!" Shauna praised. "It's good to finally take a break from that boring training."

"You didn't even train," Serena deadpanned.

Shauna blinked at her. "What do you mean? Sure I did~! I mean, maybe my methods are different from yours-"

"Yeah, they are, in that they _suck_!" Serena snapped. "I mean, what help is feeding a Pokémon Poké Puffs all day, or playing patty-cake with them, or bouncing unrealistically large balls of string around, or putting them in costumes and having them perform musicals?! Okay, that last part was cute – I'm pretty impressed you were able to do _Les Misérables _with them."

"Well, I rehearsed a _lot~," _Shauna said cheerfully, in spite of Serena's insult. "And this training might pay off in ways you couldn't even imagine, I'm telling you."

"That'll be the day..." Serena sighed.

"SER! SHAUNEE!"

Serena and Shauna were startled as Tierno suddenly burst into the Pokémon Fan Club, waving around a Holo Caster, his eyes wide and arms flailing about.

"_OhmygoshIfinallyfoundyougottashowyouthis_!"

"Slower, please," Serena told him after recovering from his sudden appearance.

"Um, okay," Tierno said and started breathing normally. "Ohhh... myyyyyyy... goooooosh-"

"Just tell me what you wanted to show us!"

"Hi, Tiern~!" Shauna said. "What are you doing all the way out here?"

"Working on my sweet moves, of course!" Tierno said to no one's surprise and did a little pirouette. "I got to spar with none other than Karate King Kiyo – he's starting a dojo in Lumiose City. And check out the results!"

Tierno opened three Poké Balls, letting out his Roserade (the one he affectionately nicknamed Rosé), Crawdaunt and Hawlucha, a new Pokémon for him.

Serena nodded appreciatively. "At least you're getting stronger," she remarked, "but was that seriously all?"

"Hm? Oh, no! Also, check _this_ out!"

Tierno opened his Holo Caster and showed Serena and Shauna a broadcast that apparently had aired earlier today. Since Serena kept her Caster off out of fear of being tracked after Lysandre's mysterious call and Shauna never remembered to charge the battery on hers, neither had any chance of catching the broadcast.

Serena instantly felt annoyed seeing Malva's face as the hologram popped up, though Malva looked much less smug and self-satisfied than in the last broadcast, being more serious and professional, frowning slightly as she read the announcement:

"_We're bringing you this special bulletin. __The Poké Ball Factory in Laverre City has been attacked. __The identities of those involved are unknown. __However, this is not expected to have any effect on the sales of Poké Balls..._"

The broadcast then ended. Serena frowning at this news while Shauna wrung her hands nervously.

"Attacked?" she squeaked. "Well that sucks! I wanted to go there!"

"I figured that if you were still in Laverre City, you could have used some help," Tierno said. "So... well, I may not be much, but I'll help any way I can. That Malva hurt Ser's Lucario, so I'll do anything to make life a little more difficult for her!"

Serena would have appreciated Tierno's enthusiasm any other time, but now she was just deep in thought, crossing her arms. It was just like the Power Plant, so figuring out the ones behind it wasn't exactly hard.

But what was their strategy, just announcing their plans like that? Malva's threats back at Lumiose Press still echoed in her mind. Was she doing this on purpose? Trying to test Serena?

It was very likely, especially after Lysandre's call yesterday. He wanted Serena to come to the dark side – well, dark_er_ side – and this was the final test. Serena knew that by acting againt them, she'd lose her chance of easily obtaining immortality _and_ she'd endanger her friends. Flunkies. Whatever. But this was also a golden chance to strike a serious blow against Team Flare. No way she'd share immortality with Lysandre. _Sharing_. Serena shuddered at the thought.

"Um, Serena?" Shauna said when there was a long silence.

"Let's get there," Serena said firmly. "Shauna, Tierno, grab your Pokémon! And by that I mean return them to their Poké Balls. I know what was going through your mind."

"Okay~!" Shauna said enthusiastically. "But... aren't you going to take yours?"

Serena glanced at them. All of her Pokémon except Lucario were focused on having fun, ignoring the conversation. And even Lucario seemed very calm.

"I promised them a day of rest," Serena said. "They'll be okay here. Let's go!"

**~o~O~o~**

_**Meanwhile...**_

_**Location: Boutique Couture, Lumiose City, Kalos**_

Lysandre was trying on a new business suit, checking it out in front of a mirror in the second floor of the Boutique Couture, where the menswear were sold. Perhaps this was the right outfit to wear when the plan would come to fruition.

_Perhaps there are _some _good parts about the world we live in now..._

_Still gonna do it, though._

"Lysandre! Bae!" Sycamore called out from the dressing room nearby. "I think I found the perfect one!"

"What is it, Augustine?" Lysandre asked in a bored tone and turned around.

Sycamore dashed out of the dressing room and posed while wearing a long, dark gray fur coat. Lysandre glared at him.

"It's not _real_ fur," Sycamore stressed. "But _man_ do I feel fab with this on! If any one of those Team Flare goons would come into _my_ lab to start something, I'd first stun them by appearing with _this_ on, then uppercut them! Pow!"

Sycamore punched the air, but it looked rather pathetic.

"Yes, curse those stylish devils," Lysandre mumbled. "Though I wouldn't joke about that, Augustine. You could get badly hurt if you took them on. No offense, but you're not exactly built to fight."

"Yeah, maybe I should lift more," Sycamore mused and felt his biceps. "Maybe I'll just show them my ripped abs and they'll run away scared... oh, but Lysandre, you were concerned about my safety! You really _do_ care!"

"Whatever," Lysandre said.

"I'm not hearing a no~! All right, I'm going to try something else next..."

Both Sycamore's and Lysandre's Holo Casters beeped at the same time. They turned their backs to each other, both receiving Malva's bulletin about the Poké Ball Factory.

"I gotta go!" they told each other at the same time and ran to different directions.

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Malva's studio, Lumiose City, Kalos**_

Feeling she needed to burn something _badly_ to get her disgust over the previous broadcast out of her system, Malva dashed out of the studio, glaring at Looker, who was leaning against the wall in the corridor outside.

"Are we done?" Looker asked her infuriatingly.

"Yes," Malva said quietly. "I don't know what you hope to accomplish with this, though. I made it to clear to Serena that her little friends would suffer in Team Flare's hands if she'd step out of line."

"I'm sure," Looker smiled. "But, pardon me for saying, but I do believe I know miss Serena better than you. She has a lump of coal where her heart should be, and her soul is forever tarnished – tragic, really. Either way, she will not hesitate to sacrifice even her 'friends' if there's something to be gained of it."

Malva scoffed. "And you're okay with that?"

The obnoxious detective before Malva just smiled at her, causing Malva to grit her teeth. That arrogant little man had a plan. Of course he did. And he was okay with Malva going nuts trying to figure it out.

"Well, thank you very much for this," Malva deadpanned and turned to leave. "Now I'll just go and get punished by our boss for this. Have fun sleeping at night, thinking of what you did to me."

"That will not happen," Looker said simply.

Malva stopped and turned to glare at Looker. "What won't?" she asked. "You sleeping, you thinking about it or...?"

"You being punished," Looker said simply and tossed Malva another one of his cards. "Go to my motel room at that address. I already have another place in mind for myself. You may lay low until this is over. And I have a feeling it won't be long. I know you haven't told me everything, but I still appreciate you taking a risk for me."

"Like I had a choice," Malva grumbled.

"Indeed. But make no mistake: the great detective Looker is _always_ on the side of justice. There will come a time when I will repay this favor. Of course, then _you_'ll owe me one, too – and the cycle shall continue. Now make haste!"

Malva just shook her head and left. Still, the offer was far too good not to use. She had all but accepted the fate that, even if she'd survive what Lysandre would have done to her, the law would get her soon after that. But Looker clearly had other things in mind – giving her enough time to plan a counterattack.

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: Poké Ball Factory, Laverre City, Kalos**_

The factory was a bit of a walk away from the rest of the city, in the northernmost corner of it. It was a large building with a huge yard with two hedge mazes, one on both sides of the paved walkway leading from the gate to the door. The building and the yard were surrounded by high walls, though there was a gap in it that formed a wide open gate, two Poké Ball statues on both sides of it.

And there was no one there, except a lone Team Flare Grunt at the door whose red uniform could be seen all the way from the gate. Serena, Shauna and Tierno stood at the gate, Serena ranting about the situation:

"I can't believe this! Everyone with Holo Casters – and in this region that means _everyone_ – should have heard that bulletin! Yet here we are – _no one _here! Where's the law enforcement? Nowhere to be found! Where's gym leader Valerie? Nowhere to be found! What is their plan, wait it out and hope everything works out for the best? Wait for this whole thing to blow over? This region is going _nowhere_ without me."

Suddenly, the trio heard rustling from the tree above them. Tierno hid behind Serena, Shauna squeaked and Serena was about to grab a Poké Ball – only to remember that she didn't bring any.

But any potential fear she would feel was replaced by annoyance when she saw who jumped from the tree and in front of the group. A person and a Pokémon, Calem and his Greninja, landed with the exact same pose, looking like they were pretending to be heroes of some stealth video game. They even looked similar: Calem's red scarf was tied around his neck just like Greninja had done with its tongue, and Calem was also wearing a blue jumpsuit of some kind.

_He probably got it off the rack_, Serena thought. _Always so melodramatic..._

Standing upright, Calem had an oddly serious look to him, but Serena was betting that look was faked, too.

"Hi there, neighbor," he greeted Serena without his usual goofy smile. "Tierno, Shauna, good to meet you, too."

Shauna crossed her arms, closed her eyes and turned away like a Tsundere while Tierno rubbed his neck awkwardly, unsure of what to say. Surprisingly, Calem didn't seem to mind much, and just focused on Serena.

"It looks like our battle will have to be postponed," Calem remarked.

"Yeah, no kiddin', I don't have my Pokémon with me," Serena said.

Calem nodded and turned to look at the Poké Ball Factory, his red scarf covering his mouth as he looked contemplative.

"And because crime is afoot," Calem said dramatically. "Me and Greninja were training with a ninja master not too far from here when we caught wind of Team Flare's attempts. I expected to see Serena here, of course – she stands for justice, after all."

Serena snorted, but before she got the chance to make a hurtful remark, Shauna beat her to it:

"We didn't ask _you_ here" she snapped. "I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding. I'll go ask that guard to let us in."

"Shauna," Tierno said quietly, "I don't think that's a good-"

But before either Tierno or Serena could stop her, Shauna ran to the lone Team Flare Grunt at the factory's door. Serena glanced at Calem.

"Did you _really_ train with a ninja or did you just go back home and play Tenchu for days?" she asked.

Calem just stared forward and assumed a mystical expression. Serena was genuinely confused – she knew that he was faking this new attitude, but hadn't counted on him being able to do it so convincingly. She would have assumed Calem to have made a dozen stupid remarks by now.

Serena's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden high-pitched shriek. As expected, Shauna was running away from the Team Flare Grunt, but as she reached a gate, she didn't even spare a glance at the others, but just kept running. The Grunt kept chasing at her, too, ignoring Serena, Tierno and Calem.

"Aww, man," Tierno groaned and grabbed a Poké Ball. "I'll go help her. Hold on!"

Tierno ran after the grunt and Shauna while Calem still looked uncaring. Serena glared at her.

"They'll make a good distraction," Calem said simply. "We can enter the factory now."

"Yeah, I don't really care," Serena said and stretched her arms lazily. "You do whatever feels right. I'm gonna go chill out or something."

Calem narrowed his eyes at Serena.

"You... do not care about this?" he asked. "You've fought Team Flare on three occasions."

"Yeah, I know, right? It's totally getting old. But feel free to do it yourself, though. This is a chance to make up for that terrible performance at the Power Plant. I'll be rootin' for ya."

Surprisingly, Calem seemed to pick up on Serena's sarcasm, but with a chance like this handed to him on a silver platter, he had to act. He gave Serena an assuring nod and a thumbs up, then nodded at his Greninja before sneaking in, unnecessarily taking cover behind the hedge mazes for a while before entering the factory proper. Serena just turned around to go after the grunt that chased Tierno and Shauna.

She didn't have to walk far, though. Ursula, Shauna's Snorlax, was literally sitting on top of the unconscious Flare Grunt and his equally unconscious Liepard. Tierno and his Hawlucha didn't get to do much against the grunt, so they just looked on as Shauna hugged her Snorlax and praised it enthusiastically.

"Hey, Serena, over here~!" she yelled when she saw Serena coming. "Check this out! I totally did it! I fought a Team Flare Grunt and won! Isn't my Snorlax awesome?"

"Yeah, that battle lasted, like, twenty seconds," Tierno observed. "It was over just as I got here. Looks like I wasn't of any use again, Serena. I'm sorry."

"Ahh, don't be," Serena said uncaringly. "You can still be my minion. It's cool. And good job with the grunt, Shauna, but you shouldn't have bothered. I'm not going to do anything about them. I mean, isn't that what the police is for?"

"What do you mean?" Tierno wondered.

"Yeah," Shauna said and folded her arms grumpily. "You're saying you're gonna let _him_ do it alone?"

Serena shrugged. "Sure, why not. Whether he succeeds or not... well, I'm gonna be happy either way."

"Okay, that is _way_ too harsh," Tierno said. "I know he was a jerk, but he doesn't deserve _that_! There's no way he could take on all of those grunts alone! We should-"

"Tierno," Serena interrupted calmly. "There's a reason why I'm not doing it. And why you shouldn't go there either."

"Well what should we do, then?" Shauna wondered.

"Get back to the Fan Club and check how my Pokémon are doing," Serena said. "Best we don't get involved in this. I'm gonna go check out this thing. _Don't bother asking what,_" Serena added quickly as both Shauna and Tierno were about to say something, "I just need some time for myself. Just go."

Shauna and Tierno shrugged, told Serena to hurry back soon and headed back towards the city, leaving Serena alone with the unconscious grunt and Liepard. Making sure her friends were gone, Serena put her plan into motion.

First, she dragged the grunt and his Liepard into the bushes and used two strong pieces of Escape Rope she had bought from Lumiose City (always be prepared!) to tie them up, first removing the man from his uniform, awkwardly enough. Fortunately, he had underwear on.

Serena took a minute to observe the suit. Besides the comfiness and nice color, Serena noticed it wasn't quite her size and the shoes were definitely a bit too big. However, by rolling the sleeves a bit, it shouldn't look unusual on her. Team Flare's uniforms were fortunately unisex, just like Team Plasma's, so she would blend in perfectly. Checking herself from the pocket mirror, she was positively surprised on how good the orange sunglasses looked on her.

But the disguise lacked _one_ crucial detail, and Serena would _not_ dye her hair red. Fortunately, she would not need to. Hidden in her bag was a red wig that Serena had _appropriated _from Coiffure Clips while Shauna was busy frustrating the stylist with her demands. Whenever she had a break, Serena would style the wig to look like the wisp-of-fire-style that she had seen female Flare Grunts sport. _All of them_, in fact. That kind of dedication to the gang was as admirable as it was creepy.

Tying her own hair on a tight bun, Serena made sure the wig completely covered it. Hiding in the bushes, she then put on the suit and sunglasses and checked herself on her mirror again.

_Perfect_.

Stepping out of the bushes, Serena was the spitting image of a Team Flare Grunt.

She wasted no time entering the Poké Ball Factory, impressed at how Team Flare had taken the large building over – there wasn't an employee in sight. The first floor was filled with a maze of conveyor belts moving in different directions, Team Flare Grunts patrolling all over. There were also metal walkways far above the conveyor belts with eve more grunts around. Calem and Greninja had apparently done something right, as people didn't act like intruders had invaded.

_Maybe he really _did_ train with a ninja... nah. Plus, there's no way he could have gotten this good in just a few days. _

Serena strode on confidently, hoping to find some clues as to what Team Flare was doing there, assuming a smug, elitist expression that she had seen all the other Flare Grunts sport – not that she had much difficulty with that. As she walked past a few grunts, no one seemed to pay much attention to her.

Until...

"Hey! You!"

"Damn it..." Serena groaned and stopped.

A blue-haired woman in a bright red uniform wearing a futuristic visor was approaching her. Serena remembered her from the Power Plant, but for the life of her, couldn't bother to remember her name. Mabel? Marble? Barbie?

"I'd recognize you anywhere!" Mable yelled. "The way your tie is so unstylishly crooked! You must be..."

Serena grabbed her bag and prepared to use her firebomb against the scientist – and by firebomb, she meant a bottle of nail polish remover with a fuse attached to it, her trusty lighter hidden in her pocket.

"...the idiot who was guarding outside!" Mable finished her sentence and Serena relaxed a bit. "Let's get our priorities right. First of all, straighten your tie! Second – why aren't you standing at watch?"

Serena straightened her tie, not sure what to think of the fact that one she had stole the suit from had been a man.

"Sorry, ma'am," she told Mable. "My guard duty is over. I switched places with, um... Team Flare Grunt #187."

"Oh, _her_," Mable scoffed. "Hey, what's with that bag?"

"It's for my lunch."

"Oh. Well it's very chic. But why aren't you standing still, ready to challenge meddling Pokémon trainers who come within ten feet of you?"

"...I haven't been given my post yet," Serena said. "Actually, since I'm just a grunt, I'm generally ignorant. What are we doing here, exactly? Like, does someone need to guard the workers we've presumably thrown into captivity?"

Mable didn't seem to find Serena even remotely suspicious. "Well, I suppose that's a start. Come with me, I'll show you where we keep 'em. Mind you, this was a really easy gig since this factory is almost completely automated, so there weren't a lot of workers."

Mable led Serena up the stairs and to the catwalks, all the while lecturing her about Team Flare's plans. Apparently, you had to pay a fee of 5 million (or a wheelbarrow full of cash and/or valuables) to join, perhaps explaining the large amount of upper class twits in the organization. On top of grunts, Serena saw one or two people of a higher rank who had white suits and red-tinted sunglasses with yellow rims. Rest of the time, Mable talked a lot about how their glorious leader knew who were worthy of survival, and how the selfishness of humanity had caused the world to deteriorate beyond the point of saving.

_So, essentially, 'blah blah blah, we're bad guys'. Only not like me, 'cause my plans are of the respectable kind._

Still, no word on immortality yet, so Serena waited patiently. Mable guided Serena to a small room in the very corner of the second 'floor' of the factory, where four scared employees immediately stopped their whispering when Mable stepped in.

"These are the trash who worked here," Mable told Serena. "Your job is to guard them. Make sure they don't break free and use the terminals – they control the direction of the conveyor belts."

"All right," Serena mused. "So this is all of them?"

"Yes," Mable confirmed. "Well, there were Pokémon working here, but they were appropriated in the name of Team Flare and shipped to Lumiose."

Serena smiled hearing that last part. There was no room in an evil organization for those with loose lips.

"And the door can be locked... how?" she asked.

Mable showed Serena, locking the door so it couldn't be opened from either the inside or the outside without her key.

"Though they can still break out through the window," Mable said and pointed at the window which the factory's manager probably used to spy on the employees with a whip in hand, "or that ventilation shaft, if they're brave," Mable finished and pointed at the ludicrously big access to the ducts near the ceiling.

Serena nodded again.

"Perfect," she said. "Now for part two of my masterstroke."

Serena pulled back her fist and punched Mable in the face – but only managed to mildly hurt her while also injuring her own knuckles on Mable's visor, prompting a pained grunt from Serena.

"Why'd you do that?!" Mable wailed while holding her face.

"I was trying to knock you out!" Serena protested. "It's a lot easier in the movies... here, hold still!"

Serena punched Mable again the cheek, but the results weren't what she was expecting. How _did_ that work in real life? The workers huddled in the corner and watched in fear and confusion.

"But _why_?!" Mable cried. "My face is already sore after that robot attacked me..."

"Because... I'm a Team Flare Grunt on the edge!" Serena said hastily. "I've had enough of this low-tier work! I want a promotion!"

"Why didn't you just ask one?"

Serena scrambled behind Mable and gripped the part where her neck met her right shoulder, but all it got was an 'ouch' from Mable.

"Why do none of these tricks work?!" Serena complained.

"All right, that's it!" Mable said and grabbed a Poké Ball. "Weavile, g-"

Serena grabbed Mable's arm and prevented her from opening or throwing the Poké Ball while putting another arm around her neck, trying to think of ways to quickly knock her out.

"Look, take your ugly visor off so I can poke you in the eye or something!" Serena snapped.

Mable gasped. "Ugly... visor?!" she exclaimed, and with a shuddering breath, she fainted.

Serena let Mable fall on the floor. She jabbed her a bit with her foot and snapped her fingers above her face, but got no reaction.

"Huh," Serena said. "That was easy."

She then turned to the workers, who hugged each other and tried to be as small as possible. Serena smiled at them.

"Worry not," she said and took off her sunglasses. "It's me!"

The employees were just confused. "Are we supposed to know you?" asked a scientist with her long brown, curly hair tied back.

"Me!" Serena repeated. "Are you not aware of who I am? Have you not seen my PR video?"

No one responded. Serena sighed.

"Serena!" she said.

Still nothing.

"Okay, whatever," Serena said. "The point is, I'm your future overlord, and I'm here to demonstrate why you should support me. But for the love of Reshiram, do _not_ let anyone from Team Flare know I'm here!"

"So..." a maintenance worker said slowly. "...you're _not_ with Team Flare?"

Serena sighed and shook her head. "What do they want, exactly?"

An old scientist adjusted his glasses to reply. "Ahem," he began. "They are probably after the Master Ball. Perhaps we should have thought twice before developing it, though. I mean, after leaders of villainous teams got their hands on it on four separate occasions in four different regions, we kinda thought _we'd_ be totally safe with it."

Serena could think of a few reasons why Team Flare would want the ball – and all of them were bad for her. But if _she_ could get her hands on it...

_I hope I'm not drooling again_.

"All right, where's the Master Ball?" Serena asked. "Your savior is here to make sure it never falls in the wrong hands."

"In the president's office close by, but Team Flare has it completely sealed off," the brown-haired scientist said. "They're apparently having... negotiations."

Serena glanced at the ventilation duct. "I see," she said. "Hey, someone give me a boost."

The maintenance worker lifted Serena so she could remove the grill of the ventilation shaft. She then crawled in... and realized that she had learned _two _things today that were _very_ different in the movies. Even after tucking her shoulders as close to her body as she could, Serena could _just_ barely fit the vent. Still, by all logic, the president's office _should_ be found by following this vent. The practicality of Serena going through the vents became even less apparent when she realized she couldn't even turn back and had to move very slowly to avoid making a terrible racket.

Eventually, after several minutes of slowly crawling her way through the dusty, foul-smelling ducts, she reached another grate and was able to peek through it.

A woman with long red hair in one of those white suits worn by the higher-up members of the gang was threatening a man cowering behind his desk whom Serena believed to be the president. Behind the woman were two familiar hairstyles: Team Flare scientists Bryony and Celosia.

"...has to be done, then," the Admin told the president. "Either you fork over the Master Ball with no backtalk, or we'll make sure your employees never leave that room."

_Looks like the negotiations are almost over_, Serena thought.

"Nonsense!" the stubborn president replied stuffily. "They are not afraid of you! They are willing to sacrifice everything for the sheer pleasure of having worked in my factory!"

_Or not_.

"And we'll burn down the factory!" Bryony piped in.

_Copycats_!

The president was horrified. "All right, all right," he said meekly. "It's in the safe behind that painting."

"Keep him covered," the Admin told Celosia and Bryony and walked over to the painting the president had pointed out.

Serena couldn't let Team Flare leave with the Master Ball – because _she_ wanted it, damn it! But for now, Serena could only watch the president give the Admin the right combination for the safe while thinking feverishly.

Her thoughts were interrupted by loud rattling that echoed all over the air duct. Startled, Serena looked out of the grate, thinking that Team Flare could spot her at any moment. They were focused more on trying to recruit the president into their gang, though.

The source of the rattling soon became obvious when Serena spotted a young woman with chin-length dark hair wearing a white outfit, a red bow tie and a colorful mask crawling towards her in the duct, loudly yelling at another person apparently crawling behind her:

"Dex- I mean, Masked Hero #2, you better _not_ look up, are we clear?" she yelled before looking forward and spotting Serena. "Oh! Uh, I'm sorry, is this duct taken?"

"What's wrong?" a man's muffled voice asked behind the woman. "Why did we stop? Don't tell me we got stuck! I'm claustrophobic, you know!"

"Hey, Sina," Serena greeted the woman calmly. "I guess Dexio's behind you?"

"We're not them!" Sina snapped. "I mean... who are these Sina and Dexio you speak of? We're the Masked Heroes, here to liberate this place from Team Flare's tyranny! And besides, even if I were that great Sina whom I do not know, I wouldn't associate with members of Team Flare!"

Serena sighed and took her sunglasses and wig briefly off. Sina gasped.

"Serena! Um, I mean, that's what I said if I knew who you were, Serena. I mean..."

"Was our cover blown, Sina?" Dexio asked. "And can I please open my eyes now? It's even scarier in here this way."

"Shut up!" Sina hissed. "And no you may not." She turned back to Serena. "You are the one who defeated Team Flare back at the Power Plant and took care of the robot in Lumiose City. Why are you dressed as a member of Team Flare?"

"To do what _you're_ supposed to!" Serena snapped as quietly as she could as she adjusted her wig. "Just... turn around, or something."

Sina stared at Serena. She and Dexio could barely fit in the duct as they were.

"Well, then, go backwards," Serena corrected. "Just, stop meddling!"

"Dexio," Sina told the man behind her. "Justice is needed outside this factory. We must retreat and return to Syc... return to our secret lair at once. Start backtracking, and make haste!"

Dexio grumbled something, but the two started crawling backwards out of the duct and behind a corner anyway. Serena waited until she could no longer hear them, then turned to look through the grate again. The Admin had taken a package out of the safe and opened it, showing Bryony and Celosia a purple and white Poké Ball with a big letter 'M' on it. Bryony's Liepard had knocked the president unconscious.

Even without her Pokémon, Serena had a plan ready. She'd light the room on fire by throwing her makeshift petrol bomb out of the air duct, and while the Flares were distracted by their clothes and skin burning, Serena would grab the Master Ball and flee in the cover of the smoke, everything ending up looking like a rogue Team Flare Grunt messed up the operation. Yes, a perfect plan...

...which was ruined before it could be executed when Calem and his Greninja burst into the room, Calem with his arms folded confidently.

_Stop ruining this, Calem! __I owe __you__ like four murders for this_!

"Who the devil are you?" Celosia asked him.

"No one special," Calem said mysteriously. "Just a man who is about to douse the flare."

_Your one-liners suck_, Serena grumbled to herself.

"Man?" snorted Bryony. "'Little boy', more like. Listen, kid, you're real brave for coming here and all, but we're Team Flare. We're up to stuff you couldn't even imagine."

_Wait, they don't even recognize him from before? Are everyone stupid but me?_

Calem's expression didn't change. "Your leverage is gone. I saved the workers."

_You?!_

"You?!" Celosia yelled, but quickly regained her composure. "Well, it doesn't really matter what you did. For you see, we already have the Master Ball right he-"

As Celosia lifted the ball for Calem to see, his Greninja acted quickly. Serena couldn't even see the water-type's movements, and a second later, it was back by Calem's side again, Calem holding the coveted ball. Bryony hissed at him.

"We don't need _another_ punk kid making life difficult for us!" she complained. "Liepard, get 'im!"

"Power-up Punch!" Calem commanded.

Serena would never tell it to Calem nor praise the boy himself, but she definitely admired his Greninja. Liepard could barely even react to Brony's command as Greninja dashed forward and punched it out before being surrounded by a glow. Calem made a 'bring it on' -motion at Celosia.

Celosia sent out her Manectric, but Calem was undeterred and ordered a Water Shuriken attack – which missed as Manectric dodged and responded with Discharge, the electric attack knocking Greninja with one blow.

Calem looked a lot less confident, but withdrew Greninja and quickly sent out his Venusaur. Before he got to activate his key stone and Mega Evolve it, though, the Team Flare Admin sent out her Houndoom, whose Flamethrower attack made short work of Venusaur. Gulping nervously, Calem was forced to recall Venusaur as well.

_Well, that lasted a bit longer than I expected_, Serena admitted. _Hope he doesn't start crying and crawling on the ground, licking their boots or something_.

Calem didn't do that, but his voice definitely quivered when he spoke next:

"Um... okay," he squealed, all traces of his confidence gone. "See, all my other Pokémon kinda got taken out when I had to fight through, like, a hundred Team Flare Grunts on the way here. Well, ten, actually, but you guys are _such_ amazing battlers that... um... we're all friends now, right?"

"No," Celosia said. "Give us the Master Ball and we'll destroy you."

"...you mean _or_ you'll destroy me, heh, right?"

"Thunderbolt!"

"Going!" Calem yelled.

To his credit, Calem didn't let go of the Master Ball as he ran away screaming like a true hero. Celosia and Bryony, as well as Celosia's Manectric and the Flare Admin's Houndoom ran away while the admin herself turned to the Power Plant's unconscious president.

Serena knew her time had come. She pushed the ventilation shaft's grate off and jumped out of the duct, landing right on top of the admin, knocking her out before she could even see what happened. Serena turned to the president and just shrugged, hoping one of his workers would find him.

As Serena leaned on the railings of the metal walkway and looked down at the first floor, she laughed at what she saw. Calem was running still on a conveyor belt moving to the opposite direction, Houndoom and Manectric doing the same not too far behind him, Celosia and Bryony yelling orders at them to fire their attacks, all of which Calem managed to dodge while shrieking pathetically.

Much as this amused her, Serena decided it was her time to intervene. Calem hadn't lied when he said he had defeated Team Flare's grunts, so Serena had unblocked access to a terminal she could use to control the direction of the conveyor belts. As Serena pushed a button, Calem quickly realized he could move forward – but so did the Pokémon chasing him.

As soon as Calem reached the end of the conveyor belt, he had the common sense to jump on another one close by, this leading to the opposite direction. Just as he did that, Serena pressed the button again, reversing the directions. The surprised Manectric and Houndoom found themselves delivered back where they came from while Calem, not stopping to think who had saved him, ran through the conveyor belts before eventually hopping off and dashing towards the exit.

At this point, Serena stopped watching the show – even Calem wasn't dumb enough to get himself caught right near the exits. Serena lit one of her makeshift firebombs and threw it towards Celosia and Bryony. They managed to avoid it, but as the bottle hit the ground, fire started spreading everywhere. Team Flare was forced to evacuate and abandon the factory, and so did Serena.

**~o~O~o~**

_**Thirty minutes later...**_

Serena was reunited with Tierno and Shauna back at the Pokémon Fan Club, where her Pokémon were resting. Calem was already there, too, bragging about what he had achieved. A radio broadcast confirmed that the fire had already been put out with neither the president or any of the workers having been hurt and that Team Flare had left Laverre completely.

Serena almost laughed triumphantly. Lysandre and Malva would never be any the wiser, only knowing that an idiot with a Greninja and a rogue grunt had foiled their plans. But her good mood was soured by Calem's bragging to Tierno and Shauna. Well, an awed Tierno, anyway – Shauna was sulking, but Serena knew she was secretly listening, anyway.

"But even with my Pokémon defeated, I did not go down!" Calem narrated, forgetting to act cool and instead sounding like an excited kid telling about his first day at school. "I knew lives were depending on me, as was an extremely valuable Poké Ball that Team Flare was after. I told my enemies 'you'll have to pry this item from my dead hands, you fiends' and ran to the exit, using my ninja skillz to distract the dozens, almost hundreds of Pokémon they sent after me. After making sure the hostages were safe, I took a page from Serena's book – oh, hi, neighbor! I mean, uh, greetings, Serena..."

"Whatever," Serena said with a slight smile. "Carry on. I wanna hear how you took on the big bad Team Flare all by yourself."

Calem didn't detect the sarcasm. "Great!" he said. "I was about to get to the best part! As a ninja, my tactics may be a little extreme, but all that matters to me now is defeating those criminal scum. I used the all-consuming power of fire – managing to make one by scratching a matchstick against my rugged skin, of course – to set the factory alight, forcing those Team Flare fools out of this fine city!"

"Wow," Tierno said, his mouth hanging open. "I gotta be honest with you, Cal – I assumed you'd run away and lose control of your bodily functions, but you really saved the day."

"Yeah, you're my hero," Serena deadpanned - she'd let Calem have his moment... _for now_. "But what happened to that valuable Poké Ball you were carrying?"

Calem avoided looking at Serena. "Hm?" he said while pretending to fiddle with his sleeves.

"You said you protected that thing Team Flare was after," Serena said. "Where is it?"

"Oh, I, uh... returned it to the president, of course."

Serena narrowed her eyes. Had Calem stolen it for himself? Had Looker put him up to it again and all this had been a bluff?

_Nah, who am I kiddin', it's Calem. Maybe he just dropped it and now no one can have it. Oh, well. As long as Team Flare doesn't get it, that's good enough for me_.

"Anyway," Calem said awkwardly and cleared his throat. "I'd like to apologize to all of you. Tiern, I hope we can be friends again. I'm sorry about what Looker did to you and Trevs, but I promise you that I had _nothing_ to do with that. Still, deceiving you was not right. And my ninja's honor demands I apologize."

_That's samurai you're thinking of, you ignorant swine_! _Ninjas don't care about that_!

"Oh, hey, I forgive ya," Tierno said cheerfully. "I gotta be honest, I was really bummed out when the gang was split up like that. Maybe things will go well for us from now on."

Calem nodded. "Shauna," he said quietly, but Shauna pretended not to listen and kept her arms crossed and eyes closed. "I can't make up for what I did anytime soon, but for now, all I can do is say is... I'm sorry. I now understand why you're mad at me, and why you said that thing back in Shalour City. Betraying Serena meant betraying all of you, but I'm sure it especially hurt you. I mean, you introduced us to each other. You're the glue that keeps this group together!"

Shauna didn't seem to respond at first, but when Calem turned away, Serena spotted Shauna opening her eyes and glancing at Calem. Serena smiled to herself. If there was anyone worse than Calem at fronting, it was Shauna.

"And Serena," Calem said. "I already said this back when we last met, but I'm truly sorry. And I know I don't deserve to be forgiven just yet, so-"

"Nah, it's cool," Serena said and shrugged.

"R... really?"

"Yeah."

Calem frowned. "You don't sound very happy."

"Well you can't expect me to start doing cartwheels and singing gospel songs just because you're back in the group," Serena deadpanned. "I mean, I know you're dense and all, but even _you_ must have realized that I'm not the type to go around hugging and learning like Sha... some people. 'S cool, I forgive ya. But my opinion about you hasn't really changed from when we met at Vaniville Town."

Calem grinned inanely, probably assuming that was a good thing, before remembering he was supposed to be quiet and mysterious, so he covered his mouth with his scarf.

"Thank you, neighbor," he said quietly. "And now, I must go to heal my Pokémon – the battle against crime took its toll. After that, it's back to training for me. The next time we meet, we _will_ have our battle."

"I'm literally giddy with excitement," Serena said dryly and watched Calem leave. "By the way, Tierno," she continued. "If having the gang be together is so gosh-dang-jiminy-willickers special for you, why isn't Trevor here?"

"Oh, he had some project he needed to back at Lumiose," Tierno shrugged. "Probably something PokéDex-related. You know how he is."

**~o~O~o~**

_**Location: An alleyway, the shady side of Lumiose City, Kalos**_

Nix and the two other members of the Lumiose Gang were sitting around an alley, bored out of their mind. Even when they had the permission to go see Emma, she always seemed to be busy fighting crime with Looker. And as Nix had promised Looker that the gang would change their ways, they had absolutely nothing to do. They were short on money and lacking a purpose, which kinda sucked.

That was, until a short boy with a lot of orange hair arrived.

"Oi!" Nix yelled at the arrival. "This here be our spot, it is! Yer lucky that we've reformed, but we're still gonna wallop you if you don't bugger off! It's self-defense, it is!"

Trevor put his hands up in mock surrender and smiled at the gang smugly.

"I have a business proposition for you, actually," he said. "I'm a friend of Emma's."

"B'ness?" Nix said, his eyes lighting up as he got on his feet. "Oi, kid, you mean you can pay us and everythin'? Well stone me bloody crows, whatchoo got for us?"

"I'll tell you soon," Trevor smirked. "It may involve doing work of the... _unsavory_ kind. I know you've sworn off such matters, but rest assured, it all goes for a good cause: stopping a violent criminal from taking over Kalos."

_And beginning the age of Trevor!_

* * *

"Whew~! That sure was something. A bit different than I expected, but hey, at least now we're all one big happy gang again! Too bad it seemed to take us forever to get to this part... oh, well, but the next part is gonna be _soooooo_ much better. Well, maybe not, but at least a lot of stuff will happen! Serena's going for a seventh gym while Team Flare makes their move, so the whole gang has to work together to stop them. Even I can make myself useful~! It's adventures at Team Flare's base of operations next on _Heroes of Kalos Abridged_! Look forward to it~!"

"Hm? Oh, yeah, and the title of this chapter was inspired by a Pokémon story called _Fashionable Disaster_ by Drindrak!"


End file.
